LAKEVILLE — He is revered around the sports world as one of the best hitters to ever play major league baseball.

But for a young woman working at the former My Wife and I convenience store in Lakeville, Ted Williams was known as the town resident who regularly ordered a coffee frappe and a double cheeseburger.

And for barber Fred Correia, he was the customer who shared his passion for fly fishing.

After Williams retired from a career that landed him in the Baseball Hall of Fame, the former Red Sox outfielder Williams settled for a quiet lifestyle in Lakeville, where he fished, mingled with locals and started a baseball camp that drew young players from across the country.

That version of Ted Williams was remembered by Lakeville resident and Williams enthusiast Edward Leonard in a program titled The Overlooked Legacy of Ted Williams held Friday May 24 at the Council on Aging.

Williams lived in town for 18 years and while he had a reputation for being standoffish with the media and at times the fan base, Leonard said that “he fit right in’’ in Lakeville, shopping at local stores, grabbing a quick bite at area eateries and, of course, fishing in the waterways that gave Lakeville its name.

Fishing was a lifelong love for Williams. “He loved baseball, fishing and his wife, in that order,’’ Leonard quipped. He was married three times.

His entry into the town came through the interest of Bernie and Albert Cassidy, and Les Warburton of Lakeville, area businessmen who wanted to open a baseball camp on 140 acres of land being sold by the Boy Scouts of America. 

Their idea, however, was not well-received by area banks. Even the involvement of legendary boxer Rocky Marciano of Brockton was not enough to seal the deal.

A baseball camp needs a baseball presence, the bankers said.

So Albert Cassidy went to Fenway Park, caught the attention of Williams, then at the end of his career, and pitched his proposal.

Williams said he was interested and told Cassidy he would call him back. Cassidy never expected a call.

But sure enough, Williams called back after the season and wanted to look at the property. “He comes to Lakeville and thinks, Here’s a place where he could relax, hunt and fish,’’ Leonard said.

And in fact, he would often be seen fishing on the ponds on the camp.

So he ponied up the down payment of $12,000 and the property was sold for $60,000.

That was in September 1957. The next June, an open house was held for the facility, which featured dormitories where 100 youngsters, ages 7 to 17, would learn all aspects of baseball— and other life lessons as well.

The camp would “teach discipline,’’ Leonard recalled, with the flag raised every day and values such as cleanliness, character and teamwork emphasized. 

He also employed local residents including a young Nancy LaFave, who worked as his secretary at the camp and recalls that the colorful language he was noted for throughout his life was not heard when interacting with her.

His involvement with the camp lessened considerably when he went on to manage the Washington Senators in 1969. “The camp continued but it was not the same,’’ Leonard said.

The baseball school eventually closed in 1986 and was sold to the town for $2.5 million. The site now houses recreation areas. Williams allowed his name to remain on the property.

Williams died in 2002, leaving behind a career that few could approach.

In Lakeville, Leonard said, he left behind thousands of youngsters who learned the skills to succeed in baseball and, more importantly, in life.

“He wanted to give the kids discipline and good character,’’ Leonard said. “That’s a legacy.’’