Ted Williams Recouping

By Stephen M. Silverman

09/22/1997 at 12:00 AM EDT

Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams, 82, has checked into a San Diego, Calif., rehabilitation hospital to continue his recovery from Jan. 15 open-heart surgery in New York. "The trip went smoothly," Williams's son, John Henry, told the Boston Globe. He noted that his father "was definitely alert to what was going on." Williams, who lost his ability to speak during the surgery because of a tracheotomy that was performed to assist his breathing, was the last major leaguer to hit .400. (He batted .406 in 1941.) His son said that the sport hero's doctors are "very, very positive" about Williams's condition.