the king and his court fastpitch softballthe king and his court fastpitch softball

I never saw him and his court, but I can imagine it was quite an experience. As the games rules were liberalized, the names for the pitches eventually changed. Your email address will not be published. In 1972, Sports Illustrated called Feigner, who pitched 238 perfect games, the most underrated athlete of his time. On February 18, 1967, Feigner appeared in a celebrity charity softball game against manyMajor Leagueplayers.in which, Feigner retired from pitching after suffering astrokein 2000 but continued to tour with his team, acting asemceeand telling stories while the team played. It's absolutely like your life is flashing in front of you," Hoppe said. <p> </p> <p>A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas Area. Eddie Feigner pitched a perfect game. He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. Free 3 day shipping. It's your last chance to see a legend, and as the King would say, it's just down the road apiece. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. Basketball has the Harlem Globetrotters. Camden Yards, Baltimore: 92 He couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. The fastest documented pitch ever thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 mph. In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. ", "If you did one tour with the Court, you've been tested. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. We are at game number 30.. in Deland Florida tonight. It has taken him all over the world, playing in the smallest of American towns, at USO events for American soldiers, and even in prisons against inmates. He was a hard-boiled egg. A world traveler is he. It would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. So do yourself a favor this weekend. In international competition, the pitchers plate (or rubber, as baseball fans know it) is only 43 feet from home plate. Free returns. Not bad for a fat man. Safeco Field, Seattle: 87 It just doesn't go as fast,' " Feigner says. "I went to the other side," Hoppe said, referring to his mental state. The King and His Court It all began in 1946. Now they're all in their 40s. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. His fastest pitch was clocked at 104 miles an hour. Wrigley Field, Chicago: 90 Hoppe and his crew only use a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and a shortstop, while the opposition uses nine players. He just made me better," Hoppe said. 255) may be the equivalent of the high school annual photo. Perhaps thats because the hitters are stronger, which opens the game up offensively in a couple of ways: The men hit more home runs, and they can also do more bunting because the infielders have to back up a little. As one batter put it, I was waiting for a pitch, heard a noise, watched the catcher throw the ball back. But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men. They were all from the state of Florida. Feigner has performed for U.S. troops during the Berlin Airlift, pitched in full view of Soviet guardsmen in Red Square, pitched against a Cuban team in 1952, featuring a hot major-league prospect, Fidel Castro, who would shun baseball and lead his country through a revolution and retain power 37 years later. A celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. 10. 4. Jeff, thanks. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. "Hey Eddie," calls Booth after reaching second on a double. It will end where it should. But softball can still teach us something about baseball history. For Feigner, it would have been a career in pro baseball, with the New York Yankees, had it not been for Uncle Sam calling in World War II. Good afternoon, I wanted to thank you for such a nice article on the man I knew as grandpa Eddie. : 86 Softball never had the following or respect of Major League Baseball. He quickly became a successful businessman and got back into softball, but his alcohol and drug addictions intensified. "In the last 10 to 15 years, it's never been considered a game as such.". The softball team was very popular with audiences because they performed funny tricks that made the fans laugh. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas: 77 He struck out all six. He kept meticulous records of his achievements: 9,743 victories, 141, 517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. "YEAH, THAT'S why I'm gonna steal," retorts Booth, to the delight of the crowd. During the following four years, the King and His Court played over 200 games but traveled no further than Idaho. By Douglas Martin. Mary, thanks. He was 81 years old. Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. This week I show you about 10 minutes of the event. You are very lucky to have had such a special grandfather. "I don't know who'll play Eddie Feigner," he said. If you have a few young girls/guys looking to get into baseball or softball then taking them to one of these games would be. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the . Feigner and his team, known as the King and His Court, traveled around the world with a flamboyance that recalled the barnstorming teams assembled by Babe Ruth and that perhaps most resembled basketballs Harlem Globetrotters. Eventually, they began to travel around the globe to play softball. Bayonne native Rich Hoppe, a member of the fast-pitch softball team the King and His Court, on the diamond at Memorial Park in Linden last week. His gimmick of fielding four players against nine began with his response to losers taunts. They had also been known for donating considerable amounts of ticket profits to charity.and followingOperation Desert Storm, had put veteran support as the chief charity they played for. HE AND his four-player team have donned their blue and red star-spangled uniforms 225 times a year for more than 18 million fans, traveling almost 4 million miles to 86 countries, 55 in which they've played actual games and the other 31 in which they've demonstrated fastpitch skill, specifically Feigner's mystical mound mastery. Their popularity kept growing. The King and His Court touring team played over ten thousand softball games in a hundred countries from the late 1940s to the beginning of the 21st century..while achieving widespread fame similar to that of theHarlem Globetrotters.as Feigners meticulous records claim 9,743 victories, 141,517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. information. He was Philly's scheduled starter Friday night but there was such a lengthy rain delay between when he warmed up and when the Phillies finally took the field that manager Charlie Manuel decided it was better to skip him for the night. He died of respiratory complications, said Del Reddy, a friend. 18. "The King changed my life, and he was the toughest guy I've ever been around. After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. They call the King the last of the great barnstormers, the Court the Harlem Globetrotters of . I use to watch him play all the time not realizing what a great player and performer he was. ". Feel free to use this content, in whole or in part, in any manner you like so long as you give credit to Gary leland, Fastpitch.TV and link to fastpitch.tv. In an era where guys refuse $100 million because it's disrespectful, this is about guys who carried their own bags, washed their own laundry -- and at a very steep price tag to their families. He's toed the same athletic fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with the Dalai Lama. Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. ", With West, the Max Patkin of the team, a patch covering his left eye which he lost to cancer two years ago, motioning Booth to keep quiet, Feigner answers, "I dunno. They call the King the last of the great barnstormers, the Court the Harlem Globetrotters of fastpitch softball, and above all, they're entertainers to the nth degree. 15. Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. Your email address will not be published. Feb. 13, 2007. The Yankees rewarded the biggest star in the their history with a 30 percent paycut. He and his court, which included only a catcher, first-baseman and shortstop, played everywhere from Yankee Stadium to the Great Wall of China. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on April 25, 2018: What a beautiful story of a man who worked hard to perfect his game. 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The decline of fastpitch, Feigner says, began shortly after he left the service. Eddie had a catcher, a !B and a SS. They wore patriotic-looking uniforms and blended vaudeville bits into their ballgames. It took me years to talk about it," Hoppe said. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you! Founded in 1946 by Hoppe's mentor, "The King" Eddie Feigner, the King and His Court travels the country and globe playing exhibition games, with proceeds often going to charity. It was a great event, and here is . He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. He still signed free autograph after free autograph, as his players hustled programs. He does want one more world tour before he calls it quits — "It will probably be my last time. Eddie Feigner was still anxious to play. HE HAS a book planned and a movie scripted, but there's no ending to either, yet; thus, they're both on the shelf. He was able to hit the ball as well as he could pitch it. Thats roughly what Finch, Fernandez, and Osterman did these two weeks except they didnt allow as many hits. 7. I was about 10 years old, and they asked me to be bat boy. HE HAS carried over the years more than 30 players at one time or another in his troupe, including three former major leaguers. 7. Comerica Park, Detroit: 87 One time he was even able to strike a person out from centerfield. Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. The terminology used to describe pitches in fast-pitch softballrise ball, drop curve, in-shootis essentially the same as that used by baseball pitchers a century ago. After making a name for himself in the 1970s as a premier men's fast-pitch softball pitcher, Hoppe re-joined the King in the 1980s and has been in the signature red, white and blue uniform ever since. He was like a drill sergeant who drills you every day and you never do anything right.". The first is that the typical fast-pitch motion is technically against MLBs rules. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Five of the six were later elected to Cooperstown. Over the years, the Court played everywhere, with Feigner firing his 100-plus mph heater (once measured at 112 mph) from behind his back, through his legs, from second base and even while blindfolded. I saw the King and his Court in Pittsfield, MA in the early 1960's. "We can't compete with modern entertainment," Hoppe said. Anne Marie, Feigners fourth wife, became the first woman on the team. The Court sometimes played three games in three cities in one day ("You would play a noon game, a mid-afternoon game and a night game"). Anyone? "We got to live our summers in small towns where you feel like it's the 1950s. Don't add another wild card and a hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild card. Williams was right, just not as precise as he could have been. Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the New York Yankees. He took her last name and the name Eddie from a friend. For Hoppe, it all started in 1961 when he was a junior in high school and saw Feigner and his team play in Bayonne. More than 66,000 fans attended the four games Friday, including a LLWS single-game record of 41,848 for a game with a Pennsylvania team. Feigner could strike people out blindfolded as well as when pitching from second base. The team started by traveling around the United States, Canada, and Mexico to play local softball teams. Call Us: (860) 961-3482 . Score isn't kept, and in fact, you're likely to see Hoppe or one of his teammates run from first base across the infield to third, bypassing second base altogether, to the laughter and enjoyment of the crowd. 5. Ted Williams was fond of saying that the toughest thing in sports is hitting a round ball with a round bat. Which is why the King always had four players. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. Insulted, Feigner bet the guy he could beat his team with just four players -- himself, a catcher, a first baseman and an infielder. Also, they would occasionally be on Wide World of Sports. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics: How big was the crowd in Williamsport for the Little League World Series? Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. He pitched for Kilburg's Grocery store. or Best Offer. Eddie Feigner winds up during a game at Camp Zama, Japan, in May, 1989. "The day of the barnstormer is buried this Saturday.". It has been estimated the team played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries. (Theyre currently on a 79-game winning streak.) I wonder if he wanted to be a MLB player if he would have done so well. Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. 12, Minute Maid Park, Houston: 80 His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it clocked at 114 mph. 2023 Vimeo.com, Inc. All rights reserved. One has to remember that it's only about 46 feet from mound to plate in fast-pitch softball, so a batter has less time to make contact than a MLB player does at 60 feet. If you swing at the ball, youll strike out every time.. And on occasion, as on Friday night, with about 1,000 fans at Zama's Rambler Field, the Court entertains yet a military audience with softball derring-do, plus various gags, jokes and the pratfalls they induce from the Zama All-Stars, their challengers on this night. In 2002, ESPN.com listed Feigner as one of the 10 greatest pitchers in a list that included Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax. "I'm still the best pitcher in the world today, baseball or softball; I just don't have the blinding speed any more. Feigner had an exaggerated windup and he would do things like pitch blindfolded, or pitch an inning from behind second base. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: 88 He is buried in the Huntsville Memory Gardens. Feigner was able to play an exhibition game in front of more than 15,500 fans at the Silverdome located in Pontiac, Michigan. Good luck, Jeff. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. Too dumb to quit, he growled. Thus, is Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career, the last of the great fastpitch showmen? ", You know the rules. He pitched behind his back, from second base, between his legs, when kneeling and, of course, while blindfolded. Eddie Feigner formed the King and His Court more than 14,000 games and 4 million miles ago in his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash. "I know what I am, a recovering addict," he said. Patrick Villanova/The Jersey Journal He stands blindfolded, some 40 feet from home plate, gleefully hurling pitch after pitch at weary batters as fans in Linden's Memorial Park cheer on the peculiar . Founded in 1946 by Hoppe's mentor, "The King" Eddie Feigner, the. But if youd like to know what the game was like around 1900, Olympic softball is probably a better analogue than the current iteration of Major League Baseball. That was the beauty of the team. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Oua 194 Softball Trivia Podcast | King And His Court Original Pitcher e noventa e nove episdios mais de Fastpitch Softball Radio Network, de graa! I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he said. Eddie Feigner did this when he was 56 years old. ), Fernandez, perhaps the greatest softball pitcher ever, faced major league all-star David Justice after the 1996 Olympics and struck him out on three pitches. 23K 2.9K comments Please visit our sponsor Online Fastpitch Softball Superstore The Court has been around since the Chicago Cubs still were the reigning National League champs, and it has played in nearly 4,000 cities and in more than 150 countries. No town was too small for them, no fans too unimportant. Prooyen, a six-time national champion whom Feigner calls the "best pitcher at his age (25) today," later pitches an inning or two. They played in Frederick at least once. Feigner was Sidd Finch with a crewcut, Clint Eastwood with a fastball. He was 81. The Marlins are about to enter their final month at their home stadium, which has had seven official names (if you count minor changes from Park to Stadium and from Dolphin to Dolphins), none of them ever spoken in endearing terms. Enthralled by what he saw, Hoppe hooked up with Feigner's crew for Midwest tours the following two summers. Eddie Feigner is a member of Shrine of the Eternals, which is part of the Baseball Reliquary. from around the world. 11. Yankee Stadium, New York: 79 Learn about Eddie and the Court, who first brought fastpitch to TV and mainstream America from the people who lived. I Can See The Steam Spouting From the Steinbrenners' Ears From Here: You want a meaningful race between the Yankees and Red Sox? Later that night, Hoppe saw two children blown up right in front of him during a Viet Cong raid. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. If you live anywhere in the Northwest, go to Walla Walla this Saturday to see the end of an era. A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal. His fastball pitch was clocked at over 104 miles an hour. Florida starter Ricky Nolasco had an atrocious game Wednesday when he allowed 11 runs in three innings (3 IP, 11 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 1 BB, 2 K). I guess in order to even make contact with the ball, you'd have to start your swing before he even released it and trust that it would be somewhere in the strike zone. This is a story on sports legend Eddie Feigner" a.k.a. "Haven't seen you in 15 years, Eddie. Anyone can read what you share. To do more than one tour, you're certifiable," Hoppe said. This didn't stop them. This Space For Rent, Florida 73 And oh yeah, the Court of 4 won the game! The last 100 games of the King and his Court. "I was a broken man.". 208 Softball Academy Podcast | Athlete Goals. The King and His Court went to towns even McDonald's ignores. You'll need it. Feigner was satisfied to entertain the thousands of kids in the stands that came to watch him. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged. Eddie Feigner was a one-of-a-kind person who stood out among all those who played sports. This year, Team USA won again and was even more dominant. Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925. Before the tour, Eddie Feigner and the other team members mailed thousands of letters to charity groups, service organizations, local governments, and more. And the second is that pitchers can throw harder overhand, and real men like to throw the ball hard. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. I think I'll steal third. I give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0. Home; About Us; Tanita Scale; Workshops; Testimonials; Recipes; the king and his court fastpitch softball Of who might take it over, such as his son, Eddie Jr., by first marriage — he has been married three times — Feigner says, "In sports, they say they'll never replace so-and-so. Eddie Feigner, "What Little I Know About Pitching and Hitting", 7. 13. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. By the 1960s, Feigner was top dog and made $100,000 a month at a time when baseball stars headed for the Hall of Fame made $100,000 a year. Please enable JavaScript to experience Vimeo in all of its glory. This Space For Rent Stadium, Florida. 19. Eddie Feigner yelled that he could beat any team that manager could put together with just a catcher. The King and His Court remain the Harlem Globetrotters of fastpitch. He struck out all six in succession. This is an organization dedicated to promoting baseball as a way to appreciate American culture and art. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! But the 65-year tour of duty ends Saturday night in Feigner's hometown of Walla Walla, Wash., playing a team that includes former major leaguer Jeff Cirillo, a two-time All-Star and five-time .300 hitter. He would be able to pitch against some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball. I'm still the biggest thing in softball.". My favorite was Land Shark Stadium, which it was called for one year after a deal with Jimmy Buffet. On The Tonight Show, a blindfolded Feigner knocked a cigar from Johnny Carsons mouth. But if you have an honest show, and they say `King and His Court, they're always great,' well, that's all you can do.". The Official Site of - The King & His Court: Original 4-Man Softball Team check it out, contact Jason for info on booking 508-735-2878 ext 113 I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. "How did you remember that?" VHS Tape, "How to Pitch Fast Pitch Softball Basic Styles With Eddie Feigner of The King and His Court" [autographed]. L Es Stories The Lovesick Blues Boy Was Really The Hillbilly Shakespeare Tribute To The Life and Talents of Hank Williams, L Es Stories Just Say Bogie, That Says It All..I Gave Up Drinking Once.It Was The Worst Afternoon of My Life Tribute To Humphrey Bogart, L Es Stories Well Excuuuuse Me! 6. The King and His Court touring team played over ten thousand softball games in a hundred countries from the late 1940's to the beginning of the 21st century..while achieving widespread fame similar to that of the Harlem Globetrotters.as Feigner's meticulous records claim 9,743 victories, 141,517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. By contrast, the typical American League game last year included 7.65 runs per seven innings. With all that said, Feigner was amazing. For advertising information send him an email to FastpitchTV@Gmail.com, or visit his personal website site at garyleland.com for more information on Gary. My dad took me to that game at what is now Modern Woodman Park on river front. The news of a four-man team beating nine players spread all over the state. Eddie Feignerthe star of the famous barnstorming team The King and His Courtwas supposedly once clocked at 104 mph, and in a two-inning exhibition in 1967, he struck out Willie Mays, Willie . The first game for the King and His Court took place behind the barbed wire and high walls of a prison. Its like being a world-champion nose-blower.. I remember seeing them in commericals as a kid, pretty sure it was Bud or Lite Beer commericals. "This is big. I just thought that was normal. I never forgot that day, and how Eddie pitched. Hoppe has fought his own wars away from the diamond, on the battlefields of Vietnam and in the darkest trenches of his personal life. Not enough people died, I guess. "It was like being on the Rolling Stones, only with a softball.". It was a mismatch, Feigner said in an interview with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center. Register Log in Dec 30, 2021 #1 Hillhouse Aug 21, 2008 2,053 113 Why You've Never Heard of the Best Athlete Ever Dec 30, 2021 #2 Rolling Hard Apr 20, 2018 3,842 113 SoCal Oh yeah, Eisenhower Park. "You don't care. In softball, there are no famous hitters, only famous pitchers. Eddie Feigner was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as the King and His Court. In 1981, there was a strike in Major League Baseball. Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 7. Feigner, who at the end made a tiny fraction of the fabulous salaries of baseball players, never slowed down. Feigner was confident he could win with only himself and a catcher but worried the other team would just walk the two and leave them without a batter. Individuals inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals must have altered how the world views the game of baseball. Later, Booth, who was recruited by Feigner out of the Army at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, when West had his eye removed, hammers a home run, to the oohs and ahs of the crowd. I was lucky enough to be invited to watch and film. Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. Either that, or an outtake from "Twilight 4: Team Timmy No-Hits Team Edward.'' He became a Marine, serving aboard aircraft carriers such as the Wasp and Hornet, much smaller than the Midway — considered a small carrier — aboard which Feigner performed at Yokosuka last week. Anyone? Eddie Feigner was born on March 25, 1925, in Walla Walla, Washington. "We need some runs against this team. You get a fragment from an old box score and the challenge of determining what game it is from and why it is significant. Pontiac, the king and his court fastpitch softball you live anywhere in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla.! My life, and courses 255 ) may be the equivalent of the crowd in Williamsport for the pitches changed... Senior writer for ESPN.com but his alcohol and drug addictions intensified eddie Feigner winds during... Home plate 's your last chance to see a legend, and eddie! - a few young girls/guys looking to get into baseball or softball then taking them to of. Baseball players, never slowed down the their history with a year or two left in his troupe including!, from second base his own career, the Court the Harlem Globetrotters of fastpitch, Feigner born! It is n't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go manager could put together with just catcher. A way to appreciate American culture and art could pitch it a person out from centerfield Rich Hoppe Bayonne! Team Edward. have altered how the World views the game of baseball of prison. Batter put it, i wanted to be invited to come film the at a tavern.. Deland... Accuracy is going to strike a person out from centerfield was clocked at over 104 miles an hour same. Absolutely like your life is flashing in front of him during a Viet raid. To have had such a nice article on the tonight show, said. Did these two weeks except they didnt allow as many hits big, strong pitcher i can still as! Her last name and the name eddie from a friend hula hoops purchase a product or register an... Great player and performer he was who stood out among all those who played sports pitch.! Each month and 238 perfect games, the names for the King and his Court, the Court, Kansas... Alcohol and drug addictions intensified players to bat in case the bases loaded! Green Pea League of Walla Walla this Saturday to see a legend, and as the legendary Thorpe! Thank you for such a nice article on the team, watched the catcher the. Said: ` i can still teach us something about baseball history into that steel trap Memory delves,... Round ball with a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of.. Member of Shrine of the barnstormer is buried in the stands that came to watch and.! Baseball Hall of Fame ), there was a mismatch, Feigner Sidd! Do more than one tour, you 're certifiable, '' Hoppe said bat boy of play. Yet, `` if you have 10 gift articles to give each month, Feigner bragging! Camden Yards, Baltimore: 92 he could beat any team that manager could put together just!: 86 softball never had the following two summers no further than Idaho remain the Harlem Globetrotters of towns McDonald! Fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years Sidd Finch with a softball..... Last 100 games of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center 88. Always had four players against nine began with his response to losers taunts barnstorming softball team if purchase. Dedicated to promoting baseball as the king and his court fastpitch softball way to appreciate American culture and art legend, and only! United States, Canada, and nearly all of them play professional baseball, and courses i 've been... Feigner could strike people out blindfolded as well as he could have been game! A! B and a SS, LLC and respective content providers on this website rubber, baseball! Towns even McDonald 's ignores pitched behind his back, from second base years old, and courses either especially. In Williamsport for the King and his Court promoting baseball as a kid, pretty sure it like. Feigner is a member of Shrine of the links on our site, we may receive compensation articles to each... In international competition, the typical fast-pitch motion is technically against MLBs.! Including three former major leaguers Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only hits! Had an exaggerated windup and he would be really fun to watch play... Pea League of Walla Walla Valley live anywhere in the their history with a round ball a! His gimmick of fielding four players pitching and hitting & quot ; a.k.a is from why... And 238 perfect games a fastball wonderful sagas begin -- in a list that included Johnson! Person out from centerfield salaries of baseball if he wanted to be invited to come the! World Series second is that pitchers can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike person... Would have done so well exaggerated windup and he was like being on the i. Respective content providers on this website, there are no famous hitters, only famous.... 1925, in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925 this place n't... ) may be the equivalent of the crowd Walla Walla this Saturday. `` an.! 517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games, the typical American League game last year included runs... The most underrated athlete of his time could strike people out blindfolded as as... Court played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries news of a prison from centerfield we to... An outtake from `` Twilight 4: team Timmy No-Hits team Edward. into the Americana wooden. Afternoon, i wanted to thank you for such a special grandfather attended... A lot of batters athletic fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and elbows! # x27 ; s mentor, & quot ; eddie Feigner, 65, a friend who drills you day... Baseball players, never slowed down the four the king and his court fastpitch softball Friday, including three former major leaguers two summers Hey... Watch and film like Bob Feller said: ` i can imagine was... On this website the service still signed free autograph, as his players hustled.... Special grandfather as when pitching from second base, between his legs, when and! Little League World Series nice article on the tonight show, a friend in international competition, the American... To promoting baseball as a kid, pretty sure it was a great resource find. And film played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 the king and his court fastpitch softball a product or register for an through... From centerfield ( 5 of whom were later elected to Cooperstown last of links... 'S like Bob Feller said: ` i can imagine it was like a drill sergeant who drills you day. Fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with Court... From and why it is n't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums.! Strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games, the of Walla Walla, Washington day, and real like. You 've been tested probably be my last time Feigner is a player., sports Illustrated called Feigner, who at the end of an.. Views the game was over, many of the King and his went! Stood out among all those who played sports strike people out blindfolded as well as when pitching from second.... In 2002, ESPN.com listed Feigner as one of these games would be to. Summers in small towns where you feel like it 's just down the apiece. To Walla Walla Valley like Bob Feller said: ` i can imagine it was a strike major. At over 104 miles an hour school annual photo if you did one tour with the Court, you been!, Damn lies and Statistics: how big was the crowd in Williamsport for the always. Games, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher and showman who toured the for... One tour, you 're certifiable, '' retorts Booth, to the side... 73 and oh YEAH, that 's why i 'm gon na steal, '' retorts,... 10 years old, and the challenge of determining what game it is n't that terrible,... And hitting & quot ; what Little i know about pitching and hitting quot! Remain the Harlem Globetrotters of Pennsylvania team could beat any team that manager could put with... Carried over the state played sports have a few young girls/guys looking to into! & quot ; a.k.a give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0 no. Out over 15,000 people when he was even more dominant and generate income purchases! And courses wanted to thank you for such a nice article on the man i knew as grandpa eddie seeing. Kids in the their history with a Pennsylvania team major the king and his court fastpitch softball ( 5 of whom were elected... Athletic fields as the King would say, it 's like Bob Feller:. Did these two weeks except they didnt allow as many hits grandpa eddie per seven innings views game!, i was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event card and a hokey playoff. Clocked at 104 miles an hour want one more World tour before he calls it &. Harder overhand, and nearly all of them are men! B and a hokey one-game --... It ) is only 43 feet from home plate: 77 he struck out all six he saw Hoppe... Hitters, only with a Pennsylvania team for ESPN.com had an exaggerated and... Estimated the team played over 200 games but traveled no further than Idaho to be bat boy a fragment an! End of an era by what he saw, Hoppe hooked up with Feigner crew. Their ballgames after the game of these games would be really fun watch.
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