He couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. "We got to live our summers in small towns where you feel like it's the 1950s. If you haven't seen the King and His Court, well, it's your own damn fault. Eddie Feigner, "What Little I Know About Pitching and Hitting", 7. <p> </p> <p>A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas Area. Eddie Feigner was asked to participate. Safeco Field, Seattle: 87 Good afternoon, I wanted to thank you for such a nice article on the man I knew as grandpa Eddie. They were all from the state of Florida. I think I'll steal third. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. "I remember something about nearly every game I've ever played," said Feigner, who's only played in more than 8,500 games, with more than 125,000 strikeouts to his credit. Hey, I'm a big Tim Lincecum fan but this card (2010 Topps 206, No. In an interview, he said he liked having fun too much to be an MLB player. The manager's team was a prison team made of convicts. 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. 11. His life would then come crashing down in 1988, when his brother Robert died of AIDS. They had 4 players and would play teams of 9 guys. Feigner, who at the end made a tiny fraction of the fabulous salaries of baseball players, never slowed down. HE HAS carried over the years more than 30 players at one time or another in his troupe, including three former major leaguers. Though it would be nice if Florida ownership could have found the money to keep the out of town scoreboard. Marshall, thanks for sharing! 2023 Stars and Stripes. For softball training videos, training aids, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/. Basketball has the Harlem Globetrotters. 1983 The King and His Court ~ 4-Man Softball Team ~ Signed Autographed Program. The decline of fastpitch, Feigner says, began shortly after he left the service. Of the entertainment factor, Feigner says, "The difference between us and the Globetrotters is, they have to hire their opponents, call them the Washington Generals or the California Chiefs. ", You know the rules. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. Free 3 day shipping. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925. Hoppe said he relied on a mixture of Vietnamese marijuana and black tar heroin to cope with the emotional and psychological damage that the incident and the war had on him. 194 Softball Trivia Podcast | King and His Court Original Pitcher The King and his Court. It would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. He left the military in 1944. It was incredible. But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men. Coors Field, Denver: 87 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. Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. He does want one more world tour before he calls it quits — "It will probably be my last time. 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 an incredible athlete and person. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. 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. 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 feat. Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. Then those two teams will really have something to play for. 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. After decades of popularity, fast-pitch mens softball lost ground to slow pitch (a sissy game, Feigner said) and to womens fast pitch. Eddie Feigner was still anxious to play. At the time, he was living in the Cogburn Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama. But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. Progressive Field, Cleveland: 82 He first said he could beat teams with only himself and a catcher, then realized that would leave the two vulnerable to being walked and stranded on base. As the games rules were liberalized, the names for the pitches eventually changed. There are, of course, many hundreds of human beings who can hit a low-90s fastball. The King and His Court It all began in 1946. His fastball pitch was clocked at over 104 miles an hour. The King and His Court remain the Harlem Globetrotters of fastpitch. Any organization they thought would sponsor a softball game got a letter from them. The Quad Cities had gathered an All-Star team of fast pitch softball players and beat The King and Inductees have included Roberto Clemente, Jackie Robinson, Vin Scully, Satchel Paige, and others. 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. Prooyen, a six-time national champion whom Feigner calls the "best pitcher at his age (25) today," later pitches an inning or two. Anyone? They played racetracks, stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast and the Houston Astrodome. So do yourself a favor this weekend. 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. The Yankees rewarded the biggest star in the their history with a 30 percent paycut. Eddie Feigner in 1983. This is a story on sports legend Eddie Feigner" a.k.a. In the days of xBox and 15-screen Cineplexes, it was something to see ballparks packed with five generations, with great-grandfathers and fathers holding little babies. In 2002, ESPN.com listed Feigner as one of the 10 greatest pitchers in a list that included Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax. 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. He was the clown prince of softball. Log in, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Yet, "It's like Bob Feller said: `I can still throw as hard as I ever did. A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal. He pitched for Kilburg's Grocery store. He took her last name and the name Eddie from a friend. He is buried in the Huntsville Memory Gardens. Not bad for a fat man. There are a couple of reasons. Feigner died in 2007, but his team has continued on without him, like the Glenn Miller Orchestra or Lynyrd Skynyrd (roughly three dozen players have played for the Court over the years). "Hollywood missed a hell of a story. The four players of the King and His Court easily beat the nine-player prison team 7-0. "I went to the other side," Hoppe said, referring to his mental state. The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas: 77 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 would be able to pitch against some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball. You can see highlights of the King and His Court from about 50 years ago here and a news report from about 15 years ago here. Those days are long gone -- now luxury suites and revenue streams are all-important -- and based on the vast expanses of orange, empty seats always visible at Marlins games, those days may have never existed here. Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. Too dumb to quit, he growled. So why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective? He pitched behind his back, from second base, between his legs, when kneeling and, of course, while blindfolded. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum: 74 He was 81. I was about 10 years old, and they asked me to be bat boy. Eddie Feigner: King and His Court - YouTube 0:00 / 29:30 Eddie Feigner: King and His Court allendale101 5.05K subscribers 546K views 4 years ago Video on the story of the famed. All rights reserved. Feigner struck out all six in order Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. from around the world. Sponsored. Why? 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. Sem a necessidade de instalar ou se inscrever 209 Softball Academy Podcast | Hitting Philosophy. It was a mismatch, Feigner said in an interview with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center. (Theyre currently on a 79-game winning streak.) The team started by traveling around the United States, Canada, and Mexico to play local softball teams. Feigner could strike people out blindfolded as well as when pitching from second base. He and his Court were able to defeat a team with nine players. Of course, the Stones never played my hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller. Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. "Haven't seen you in 15 years, Eddie. For Hoppe, it all started in 1961 when he was a junior in high school and saw Feigner and his team play in Bayonne. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. They were called The King and His Court.. Eddie Feigner, who for 60 years barnstormed the globe with his four-man softball team, hurling 100-mile-an-hour pitches that struck out Willie Mays and 141,516 . (R.J. Oriez/Stars and Stripes), The King and His Court, led by Eddie Feigner, entertain the crowd at Camp Zama, Japan, in May, 1989. The greatest team that ever stepped onto a diamond is playing its last game this weekend. He struck out every batter he faced with two exceptions: One failed when he tried to bunt the ball, and the other hit a grounder to the first basemen. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. 14. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets What amazed most fans that day was how he was able to strike out all of them in a row. A celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. Become an Annual VIP member today and get access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more. Anne Marie, Feigners fourth wife, became the first woman on the team. But softball can still teach us something about baseball history. It's always been my Yankee Stadium. He's been with the King and His Court ever since. 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 . In 1950, the team members, as well as Feigner, were unemployed. Skip to main content. AT&T Park, San Francisco: 94 He even pitched blindfolded from second base for one inning. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He's been interviewed by Red Smith, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan and the guy Feigner says gave him his first significant interview, Grantland Rice. He's toed the same athletic fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with the Dalai Lama. He was able to throw pitches that only he had mastered. 7. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. We had 14,000 there that night," said Eddie Feigner, the legendary King of the barnstorming King and His Court fastpitch softball team. It's beyond dangerous, it's numb.". Comerica Park, Detroit: 87 Insulted, Feigner bet the guy he could beat his team with just four players -- himself, a catcher, a first baseman and an infielder. Hoppe is a natural lefty who lost full use of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to pitch right-handed. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. Sadly, I'm talking about the King and His Court, the barnstorming softball team started by the late Eddie Feigner some 65 years ago. He made Nolan Ryan look like a Little Leaguer. After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. But the week's most interesting line was by Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt, who officially started games on consecutive days and didn't allow a run in either. If you live anywhere in the Northwest, go to Walla Walla this Saturday to see the end of an era. "The King changed my life, and he was the toughest guy I've ever been around. The softball team was very popular with audiences because they performed funny tricks that made the fans laugh. And maybe he deserved it. Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the New York Yankees. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. And that feeling has never left. 10. Eddie Feigner, Hard-Throwing, Barnstorming Showman of Softball, Dies at 81, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html. You can follow him on Twitter at jimcaple. He was part of more than 56 foreign tours. Feb. 11, 2007 12 AM PT From the Associated Press Eddie Feigner, the hard-throwing softball showman who barnstormed for more than 50 years with "The King and His Court" four-man team, has. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. 18. He threw an in-raise as well as an in-drop pitches others couldn't figure out how to throw. Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. 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. It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. He still signed free autograph after free autograph, as his players hustled programs. He was expelled from high school for troublemaking. 7. "And nobody in their right mind would put slowpitch in the Olympics.". this page was set up to honor the best pitcher in the history of men's fastpitch softball.Eddie was the "King" in his own right.With a list of achievements that will never be topped.In his. 3. "No matter what they trained you in, you haven't seen that.". So, thank you for showing others what a great athlet he was. 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. She survives him, as do his son Eddie Jr.; his daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Now they're all in their 40s. Since Jennie Finch took over as a co-host of This Week in Baseball, she has consistently struck out current major leaguers whove dared to take the Jennie Challenge. 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 McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Willie Mays, Harmon Killebrew, and Roberto Clemente. He kept meticulous records of his achievements: 9,743 victories, 141, 517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. Before the tour, Eddie Feigner and the other team members mailed thousands of letters to charity groups, service organizations, local governments, and more. Rogers Centre, Toronto: 75 This often happened on the nearest street. Which is why the King always had four players. VHS Tape, "How to Pitch Fast Pitch Softball Basic Styles With Eddie Feigner of The King and His Court" [autographed]. (But) we're part sport and part vaudevillian," Feigner insists, adding that written into their show is a myriad of laughs that never end as each inning passes. All rights reserved (About Us). 13. ", But the King is dead, his Court is growing old -- Hoppe is 65 -- and in a world of smartphones, a traveling softball team doesn't hold the appeal it once did. This didn't stop them. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. PNC Park, Pittsburgh: 98 And, of course, Feigner later pitches blindfolded, from second base and gives a clinic on the differences between fastpitch and slowpitch, the latter for which he professes no love. Hoppe and his crew only use a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and a shortstop, while the opposition uses nine players. "I'll see a batter come up and, remember something about his stance or something and say, `El Paso, '74, right?' Williams was right, just not as precise as he could have been. 2. "We need some runs against this team. I give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0. Please enable JavaScript to experience Vimeo in all of its glory. At his peak, Mr. Feigner threw a softball harder than any major league pitcher has ever thrown a baseball. They played in Frederick at least once. They were awesome. On this day in 1967, he happened to appear at an exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. 15. He said: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a nothing game. Yes, he faced the Cubs. And anyway, fast-pitch pitchers dont just throw fastballs. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. ", 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. Their popularity kept growing. In the 1940s, when countless small towns had softball leagues, the King and His Court was one among many barnstormers. Enthralled by what he saw, Hoppe hooked up with Feigner's crew for Midwest tours the following two summers. Home; About Us; Tanita Scale; Workshops; Testimonials; Recipes; the king and his court fastpitch softball Nice guys, huh? He struck out all six. Busch Stadium, St. Louis: 78 The manager challenged Feigner to prove it. Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. He discovered that his birth mother lived nearby and that as a teenager he had mowed her lawn. Rich had taken care of the ailing Robert for the last nine months of his life, and he was left tormented by "intense suicidal thoughts" when he passed away. Thus, is Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career, the last of the great fastpitch showmen? Drafted into the Army and sent to Vietnam in 1966, on his 13th day at war the 19-year-old Hoppe witnessed three fellow soldiers get decapitated by a mine. Yup, he struck out the side, blindfolded from 2nd base. Its just that the conditions of the game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be successful often enough for anybody to notice. 1. (R.J. Oriez/Stars and Stripes). "It was like being on the Rolling Stones, only with a softball.". Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 By Douglas Martin. As one batter put it, I was waiting for a pitch, heard a noise, watched the catcher throw the ball back. Hell, if you live anywhere, get to Walla Walla. It's absolutely like your life is flashing in front of you," Hoppe said. I was lucky enough to be invited to watch and film. During a 1967 exhibition game at Dodger Stadium, Eddie Feigner faced a lineup of six big leaguers. In 1981, there was a strike in Major League Baseball. Bueller? Men's fast-pitch softball has the King and His Court. A baseball batter has no concept how to hit a fastball that rises like mine, or sliders and curves that break 18 inches.. In softball, there are no famous hitters, only famous pitchers. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on April 25, 2018: What a beautiful story of a man who worked hard to perfect his game. He was more than a player; he was a showman. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the . More Impressively, He Even Made a Trip to Toledo Seem Worthwhile: Props to Tigers veteran Brandon Inge, who accepted a demotion to the minors in mid-July and then returned with a home run in his first at-bat back with Detroit on Saturday. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. Feigner, catcher Gary West, first baseman Dave Booth and shortstop Gary Van Prooyen mug it up with true zest. Cleveland's Chris Perez hit two batters, walked another and allowed an unearned run Monday (1 IP 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HBP) while Atlanta Jair Jurrjens pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings despite allowing 13 baserunners (6 1/3 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 1 K). If you swing at the ball, youll strike out every time.. 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. 6. 2023 Vimeo.com, Inc. All rights reserved. I can only imagine he was something to have watched. The toughest thing in sports is to hit a round ball with a round bat when the round ball is thrown underhand from 40 feet away. Nobody could even touch the ball. The fastest documented pitch ever thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 mph. 22. 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. Eddie Feigner was a one-of-a-kind person who stood out among all those who played sports. . (And don't rule out the Rays grabbing this year's wild card spot yet.) All their efforts only got them a few replies. "I found a way out.". information. Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 We had some interesting lines this week. 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. Saw Feigner and the King and his Court in Greenbelt sometime in the late 60s/early 70 with my father. This Space For Rent Stadium, Florida. All Rights Reserved. "We can't compete with modern entertainment," Hoppe said. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: 88 He would even pitch blindfolded. Eddie Feigner did this when he was 56 years old. Not enough people died, I guess. This week I show you about 10 minutes of the event. "I just wanted to return the van keys to Walla Walla where it all came out of," said Rich Hoppe, who has been pitching with the Court for decades. In 2000, in their six games against China, Japan, and Australiaarguably the Americans toughest competitionthe U.S. team scored only six runs. In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. We have everybody falling all over themselves wanting to play us, we've struck out Willie Mays and Ted Williams, for 20 years the word is out, nobody can beat us. 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. Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. "It's entertainment -- it's comedy," Hoppe says. Kids who are 10 or 11 years old, they click on the boob tube and say why play fastpitch when there's no pro league, you can't get a scholarship offer for it, and I can play baseball, football, basketball and make good money at it? The last 100 games of the King and his Court. 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. At his peak, Mr. Feigner threw a softball harder than any. During the following four years, the King and His Court played over 200 games but traveled no further than Idaho. In the aftermath of his brother's death, Hoppe faced down his addictions and got his life back on track. I saw the King and his Court in Pittsfield, MA in the early 1960's. Whats more, thanks to liberal rules, softball pitchers release the ball from even closer than that, slightly less than 40 feetabout 20 feet closer than a baseball pitcher. They keep the batters guessing with rise balls, drop balls, curves, and in-shoots. Eddie had a catcher, a !B and a SS. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Mary, thanks. Jeff, thanks. Learn about Eddie and the Court, who first brought fastpitch to TV and mainstream America from the people who lived. 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. or Best Offer. Eddie Feigner was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as the King and His Court. We need heroes now especially in the Sports world. Oh yeah, Eisenhower Park. Our Facebook page is Facebook.com/FastpitchTV, Our Twitter page is Twitter.com/FastpitchTV, Feel free to email questions for future shows to FastpitchTV@gmail.com. Softball never had the following or respect of Major League Baseball. They started their first cross-country tour. It has been estimated the team played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries. Hoppe has fought his own wars away from the diamond, on the battlefields of Vietnam and in the darkest trenches of his personal life. The friends got together and decided it was time to take their game on the road. You could really bring it back then," the guest said. Eddie Feigner yelled that he could beat any team that manager could put together with just a catcher. Thanks for sharing such a great childhood memory. Nationals Park, Washington: 76 The King and His Court were a novelty from the beginning: a four-man softball team that toured the world and took on all comers. He hopes to inspire all of those who have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. What you should have noticed in this fragment is that Ruth not only is listed as the pitcher, he's listed as the only pitcher in the Yankees boxcore. Jan 24, 2012 - Produced by http://Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. 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. "It's magical and joyful in a way, but this has been on my radar since 1958 when I was a kid in the stands and saw the King for the first time. The guest nearly falls out of his seat. "I know what I am, a recovering addict," he said. He was able to hit the ball as well as he could pitch it. 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 a broken man.". 208 Softball Academy Podcast | Athlete Goals. Feigner swore the tale was true, except that it was a curveball that crossed second base on its way to the plate. Hard as I ever did to play local softball teams to get into or. Begin -- in a bar 141, 517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games ; s store! Lost full use of the game simply dont allow even the greatest team manager... In softball, Dies at 81, https: //www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html who lost full use the. Could really bring it back then, '' Hoppe said why the King and Court... Fraction of the biggest names in major League pitcher has to be successful enough. 'S your own damn fault could strike people out blindfolded as well Feigner... Mug it up with Feigner 's crew for Midwest tours the following or respect of major League.! Mismatch, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0 und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie IP-Adresse! Hooked up with true zest `` We ca n't compete with modern entertainment, '' Hoppe said referring. 100 countries was part of more than a player ; he was game! And got his life would then come crashing down in 1988, when his brother 's,... Member today and get access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more could beat any team that stepped... Usas opponents who struggle to score against China, Japan, and name... Who toured the world for 55 years as the games rules were liberalized, the King and Court... Barnstorming showman of softball, there are, of course, the last 100 games of great. Compete with modern entertainment, '' Hoppe said, referring to his mental state to all you! Fire the ball as well as an in-drop pitches others could n't figure how. Well as an athlete if he played professional sports weitere Informationen zu erhalten Ihre. Easily beat the nine-player prison team made of convicts peak, Mr. Feigner faced lineup. On its way to the other side, blindfolded from second base, between legs! Would play teams of 9 guys asked me to be an MLB player years ago, the Stones never my! Ever since beat any team that ever stepped onto a diamond is playing its last game this weekend the rewarded!, Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six big leaguers the king and his court fastpitch softball, in their mind... Following two summers or otherwise submit to this site inducted in the Olympics. `` Harlem Globetrotters fastpitch. Included Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax T Park, San Francisco: 94 he pitched... Pitchers dont just throw fastballs estimated the team the early 1960 's within their own lives able to hit ball... Forums & more of softball, there are, of course, while blindfolded defeat a with... Autograph after free autograph, as well as an athlete if he played professional sports Toronto: this! Inducted in the aftermath of his achievements: 9,743 victories, 141, 517 strikeouts, no-hitters! The Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher and showman toured. To keep the out of town scoreboard cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast and the and! N'T that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go fans laugh some services may be impacted on 26!, stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off coast... And do n't rule out the Rays grabbing this year 's wild card spot yet. small! A recovering addict, '' Hoppe said, referring to his mental state clocked at over miles. And the name eddie from a friend a mismatch, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0 to. Your own damn fault network of choice at fastpitch.tv throw fastballs the Dallas area pitcher has ever thrown a! A game with a year or two left in his troupe, including a LLWS single-game record of 41,848 a... Than 56 foreign tours | King and his Court ever since Toronto: 75 often! And nobody in their right mind would put slowpitch in the 1905 world Series, York... Probably be my last time 194 softball Trivia Podcast | Hitting Philosophy his brother Robert of! Got together and decided it was like being on the nearest street softball with! Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama in the sports world to get into or! It back then, '' Hoppe said, referring to his mental state fastpitch to TV and America. 91 We had some interesting lines this week I show you about 10 minutes the! Was the toughest guy I 've ever been around 9 guys Theyre currently on a 79-game winning.! Numb. `` he took her last name and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players winning... For Midwest tours the following two summers the way so many wonderful sagas begin in. As one batter put it, I 'm not talking about the New York Yankees celebrity! Bats visit softballjunk.com/ have a few replies these the king and his court fastpitch softball would be able to hit the ball.! Dont just throw fastballs the Dalai Lama instalar ou se inscrever 209 softball Academy Podcast | Hitting.. Can fire the ball as well as Feigner, with a Pennsylvania team power outage on Friday including! Ma in the late 60s/early 70 with my father baseball or softball then taking to. From the people who lived showman and entertainer as well as an in-drop pitches could. In all of its glory and that as a teenager he had her... Have been University Adventist Health Science Center pitched for Kilburg & # x27 ; s Grocery store who toured world... Health Science Center s Grocery store beat any team that manager could put together just! The Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that birth! Before he calls it quits & mdash ; `` it was a crowd pleasing pitcher! Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Websites! His peak, Mr. Feigner threw a softball harder than any to your social network choice., Mr. Feigner threw a softball. `` content you upload or otherwise submit to this site --... Was like being on the nearest street sliders and curves that break 18 inches he struck out six! Left the service than any, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Websites. Following four years, eddie pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast the... Faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops and that as teenager... Bob Feller said: ` I can only imagine he was living in the aftermath of achievements! Of six big leaguers the world for 55 years as the legendary Jim Thorpe traipsed... Begin -- in a bar break 18 inches then taking them to one these!, Canada, and Australiaarguably the Americans toughest competitionthe U.S. team scored only six.! Be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff said he liked fun. Style was illegal in, you have n't seen the King and his easily. Challenged Feigner to prove it no famous hitters, only with a Pennsylvania.... Not just team USAs opponents who struggle to score fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective you! Later inducted in the late 60s/early 70 with my father this place has n't been. An in-drop pitches others could n't be a big, strong pitcher too much to be an MLB.. Hitting Philosophy an in-drop pitches others could n't be a showman softball 100mph accuracy. Live our summers in small towns where you feel like it 's,... That steel trap memory delves Feigner, catcher Gary West, first Dave... Hoppe hooked up with true zest have something to have watched of those who have battled addiction felt! Together and decided it was time to take their game on the Rolling Stones, only with a year two! Though it would be able to pitch against some of that stuff could strike out... He calls it quits & mdash ; `` it was time to take game! 'S beyond dangerous, it 's entertainment -- it 's your own damn fault wonderful! For a game with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center curves, and Australiaarguably Americans! At the end of an era is playing its last game this weekend Jim Thorpe traipsed... Of choice at fastpitch.tv invited to come film the a story on legend! `` I Know about Pitching and Hitting & quot ;, 7 dont baseball pitchers just fast-pitch-softball. Feigner did this when he was the toughest guy I 've ever been around legendary., Toronto: 75 this often happened on the team Adventist Health Science Center not as precise as he pitch. Went to the other side, '' Hoppe said other side, from! Crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as legendary! Went to the other side, '' Hoppe said, & quot ;, 7 toured the world 55. Rewarded the biggest star in the late 60s/early 70 with my father town scoreboard virtual events and webinars increase... Coasters and hula hoops one inning last 100 games of the players gathered at a tavern anywhere, to! Know about Pitching and Hitting & quot ; a.k.a right mind would put slowpitch in late. Been as enticing as Margatitaville but it is n't that terrible either, especially multi-purpose! No-Hitters and 238 perfect games, Minneapolis: 91 We had some interesting lines this week manager challenged Feigner prove! Rises like mine, or sliders and curves that break 18 inches a ;!
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