07 January 2010

Was the frozen head of Ted Williams abused?


This story circulated this past October, via ESPN and the Milwaukee Examiner - allegations that the cryogenically frozen head of legendary baseball superstar Ted Williams was mistreated by employees at the cryogenics facility:
Larry Johnson says in the book "Frozen: My Journey Into the World of Cryonics, Deception and Death" that he watched an Alcor official swing a monkey wrench at Williams' frozen severed head to try to remove a tuna can stuck to it. The first swing accidentally struck the head, Johnson contends, and the second knocked the tuna can loose.
Stephen Colbert commented on the topic at the time (begin at the 1:35 mark if you want to skip the Glenn Beck diatribe).  I have heard nothing since then. Since the allegations were made as publicity for a book one can be forgiven for being cautious, but on the other hand I consider cryogenics for human bodies to be pseudoscience, so such shenanigans wouldn't surprise me.

Addendum: Found something this week in the Phoenix New Times indicating that Williams wanted to be cremated rather than frozen:
"It is my wish that no funeral or memorial service of any kind be held and that my remains be cremated as soon as possible after my death. I want you to see that my ashes are sprinkled at sea off the coast of Florida where the water is very deep," the letter, penned by "The Kid" himself, says.
But no update re the abuse allegations.  Moving on to other things...

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