Williams in his Boston days

Tributes were led by American President George W Bush.

He said in a statement: "Ted Williams gave baseball some if its best seasons - and he gave his own best seasons to this country.

"He will be greatly missed."

Twice the American League's MVP, Williams had a fascinating rivalry with the great Joe DiMaggio, of the New York Yankees.

Although he was unable to win the World Series with Boston, he compiled better batting statistics than any of his contemporaries, hitting a career .344 with 521 home runs.

Williams won the Triple Crown - for topping his league in homers, RBIs and average - twice, but his greatest achievement came in 1941 when he batted .406.

He had a fractious relationship with baseball fans and could be irritable on the field, but was admired to a man for his uncanny timing.

Williams contended that his eyesight was so keen he could pick up individual stitches on a pitched ball.

And he bounced back incredibly after serving as a Marine Corps pilot in the Korean War to resume his baseball career.

"Ballgame" Williams, who has long been enshrined in the Hall of Fame, signed off in the only fitting way in 1960, crushing a ball into the Fenway Park stands for a farewell home run.