01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 3, 2006

HERNANDO, Fla. -- The Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame closed yesterday, a victim of a lack of attendance and interest following the baseball star's death.

The diamond-shaped museum, which opened in 1994, attracted sports legends to its many events and featured a collection that chronicled Williams' life, including his exploits as a fighter pilot, Boston Red Sox left-fielder and accomplished fisherman.

But poor attendance caused in part by its out-of-the-way location in west-central Florida made running the museum too expensive, said David Staples, who had volunteered at the museum since its opening.

"You can't exist too many years like that without having some kind of endowment backing you," Staples, 78, said before the museum opened for the last time yesterday. "We just weren't near any metropolitan areas where you could draw regular attendance."

Staples had opened and closed the museum on weekends since 1994. He's seen prominent figures such as Joe DiMaggio, Muhammad Ali and former President George H. W. Bush attended ceremonies at the museum.

Many other sports figures came to visit and, specifically, share time with Williams, the last hitter to bat .400.