Dispute over Ted Williams' memorabilia

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The daughter of Ted Williams is suing the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum in a bid to retrieve several trophies and memorabilia items she claims she owns.

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego County Superior Court on Tuesday, states Claudia Williams is entitled to Williams' 1946 and 1949 MVP trophies, his 1991 Presidential Medal of Freedom, articles of Williams' clothing and two game-used bats from 1941, when Williams was the last major league player to bat .400.

Claudia Williams is Ted Williams' sole heir.

The dispute centers on whether the items were loaned to the museum or given as gifts from Williams to museum founder Bob Breitbard, a longtime friend and high school teammate of Williams from Hoover High School.

The museum obtained the MVP awards and medal of freedom in 1992 and they were subsequently put on display.

"Ted isn't around to testify. Let's see what their proof is," said Peter Sutton, attorney for Claudia Williams and her mother, Delores. "We're asking for it all back."

Neither Breitbard, who is named as a defendant in the case, nor his attorney, Reg Vitek, immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press on Wednesday. Previously, Vitek has said the items were gifts and indicated the museum would try to keep them.

Vitek has also previously said the museum resisted the Williams' family demands because Breitbard is still owed more than $265,000 from Ted Williams' now-deceased son, John Henry Williams.

Sutton said John Henry's debt to Breitbard should not have any bearing on property belonging to Claudia and Delores, Ted Williams' third wife.

Ted Williams grew up in San Diego and first signed with the Pacific Coast League Padres. He played 19 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, was an All-Star 18 times and twice won the Triple Crown.