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

Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. ", The Olympics feature baseball as a demonstration sport, but won't add fastpitch since "the East Bloc doesn't play it; they're trying hard just to play baseball," Feigner said. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum: 74 included in the interview is Leslie Barber, Charlie Dobbins, Dave Booth, Bob Hale, Ron Davenport and Michael Branchaud. Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. "FASTPITCH IS a lost art — irretrievable in our generation. In the 1940s, when countless small towns had softball leagues, the King and His Court was one among many barnstormers. They were all from the state of Florida. 6. "After my brother died and that 100 days that followed, I literally had lost everything," Hoppe said. 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. Hearing a woman or child say they loved watching him pitch meant more to Feigner than any big-league contract. ", 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. Any organization they thought would sponsor a softball game got a letter from them. 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. 15. Sports Illustrated once called Eddie Feigner one of the most underrated athletes of our time. Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. Bueller? "It's surreal. The guest nearly falls out of his seat. So do yourself a favor this weekend. Five of the six were later elected to Cooperstown. He couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. Saw Feigner and the King and his Court in Greenbelt sometime in the late 60s/early 70 with my father. The news of a four-man team beating nine players spread all over the state. It took me years to talk about it," Hoppe said. The friends got together and decided it was time to take their game on the road. His life would then come crashing down in 1988, when his brother Robert died of AIDS. The manager challenged Feigner to prove it. Feigner claimed nearly 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters. (Its worth noting, though, that pitchers dont dominate the game to the same extent in mens fast-pitch softball. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Free 3 day shipping. Marshall, thanks for sharing! 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. "In the last 10 to 15 years, it's never been considered a game as such.". Im now 66 years old. He threw an in-raise as well as an in-drop pitches others couldn't figure out how to throw. In an interview, he said he liked having fun too much to be an MLB player. The King and His Court went to towns even McDonald's ignores. 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). In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. Feb. 13, 2007. So why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective? 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. The King and his Court. 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. 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. "I had lost any courage to do anything. It has been estimated the team played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries. 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. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). Camden Yards, Baltimore: 92 "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. You can follow him on Twitter at jimcaple. Sadly, I'm talking about the King and His Court, the barnstorming softball team started by the late Eddie Feigner some 65 years ago. Too dumb to quit, he growled. (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. And maybe he deserved it. He and his court, which included only a catcher, first-baseman and shortstop, played everywhere from Yankee Stadium to the Great Wall of China. And there were not enough bare-chested women, though there were a few of those, too. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. 255) may be the equivalent of the high school annual photo. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Busch Stadium, St. Louis: 78 He was able to throw pitches that only he had mastered. Individuals inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals must have altered how the world views the game of baseball. The first game for the King and His Court took place behind the barbed wire and high walls of a prison. Eddie Feigner pitched a perfect game. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Its like being a world-champion nose-blower.. They had 4 players and would play teams of 9 guys. Feigner struck out all six in order Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. In the 2000 Olympics, the gold-medal-winning U.S. softball team allowed only seven runs and 24 hits in 10 games. If you haven't seen the King and His Court, well, it's your own damn fault. She survives him, as do his son Eddie Jr.; his daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. They started their first cross-country tour. It was a mismatch, Feigner said in an interview with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center. He's battled the best batters the major leagues have to offer, striking out Willie Mays, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Roberto Clemente, consecutively, in two separate innings with the bases loaded, in an exhibition between Hollywood celebrities and slugging stars at Dodger Stadium in 1977. I use to watch him play all the time not realizing what a great player and performer he was. 7. 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. "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. 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. 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. 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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. I'm still the biggest thing in softball.". Hyperextending his knee in a gopher hole in 1972 didn't help; it prevents him to this day from getting top speed on his fastball. Anyone? They escaped flash floods and tornadoes. He and a changing supporting cast that included only a catcher, first baseman and shortstop eventually logged more than 4 million miles, covering 50 states and more than 100 countries to play in front of 200 million people. SUCH IT has been the last six weeks for the Court, which has toured Hawaii, Taiwan, and Korea and Japan at the behest of 8th U.S. Army sports and recreation services outlets at Camp Zama and nearby Yokosuka Naval Base. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. He was 81 years old. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged. "Merrick? He quickly became a successful businessman and got back into softball, but his alcohol and drug addictions intensified. 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 a great event for the whole family! I was about 10 years old, and they asked me to be bat boy. In 1981, there was a strike in Major League Baseball. After last Thursday's game in Linden, Hoppe, who has been clean and sober for two decades, briefly shared his story with the crowd. 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. "How did you remember that?" The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! 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). "I'll see a batter come up and, remember something about his stance or something and say, `El Paso, '74, right?' or Best Offer. 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. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. He hopes to inspire all of those who have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives. Feigner was Sidd Finch with a crewcut, Clint Eastwood with a fastball. 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. As one batter put it, I was waiting for a pitch, heard a noise, watched the catcher throw the ball back. Yes, he faced the Cubs. All rights reserved (About Us). 11. 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. ), 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. He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. It's beyond dangerous, it's numb.". Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925. I never forgot that day, and how Eddie pitched. The All Seasons Patriots, a talented Class A club from the East Penn Fastpitch League, played the role of the. The King and His Court" and his visit to. 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. "Rage and obsession can make you do amazing things," he explained. I would have loved to have bee able to have a conversation with him. By contrast, the typical American League game last year included 7.65 runs per seven innings. 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 four players of the King and His Court easily beat the nine-player prison team 7-0. 22. Safeco Field, Seattle: 87 He was abandoned as an infant and was named Myrle King by his adoptive parents. One of these years, it will be," he said. 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. I give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Though the Americans did much better this time around with 51 runs in nine games, when great players face off, softball is clearly a pitchers game. VHS Tape, "How to Pitch Fast Pitch Softball Basic Styles With Eddie Feigner of The King and His Court" [autographed]. I remember seeing them in commericals as a kid, pretty sure it was Bud or Lite Beer commericals. 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. Granted, American softball players are the best in the world. Later that night, Hoppe saw two children blown up right in front of him during a Viet Cong raid. For softball training videos, training aids, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/. Ted Williams was fond of saying that the toughest thing in sports is hitting a round ball with a round bat. Meanwhile, as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the last four Rays home games drew just 61,897. Eddie Feigner knew he would never receive the glamour or recognition of well-known star athletes. (Theyre currently on a 79-game winning streak.) 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. And oh yeah, the Court of 4 won the game! What amazed most fans that day was how he was able to strike out all of them in a row. It's your last chance to see a legend, and as the King would say, it's just down the road apiece. Eddie Feigner did this when he was 56 years old. He was more than a player; he was a showman. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. In 1972, Sports Illustrated called Feigner, who pitched 238 perfect games, the most underrated athlete of his time. His team, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the Globetrotters, played in ever-smaller parks. In international competition, the pitchers plate (or rubber, as baseball fans know it) is only 43 feet from home plate. Nobody could even touch the ball. Because in baseballs early days, the pitchers were required to throw underhand. Sadly, I'm talking about the King and His Court, the barnstorming softball team started by the late Eddie Feigner some 65 years ago. Williams was right, just not as precise as he could have been. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on April 25, 2018: What a beautiful story of a man who worked hard to perfect his game. Eddie Feigner was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as the King and His Court. Feigner, catcher Gary West, first baseman Dave Booth and shortstop Gary Van Prooyen mug it up with true zest. Then those two teams will really have something to play for. "You don't care. Home; About Us; Tanita Scale; Workshops; Testimonials; Recipes; the king and his court fastpitch softball It would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. Good luck, Jeff. The King and His Court It all began in 1946. You could really bring it back then," the guest said. He and his Court were able to defeat a team with nine players. Hoppe is a natural lefty who lost full use of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to pitch right-handed. 19. Top Rated Plus. The King and His Court came to Davenport in the Summer of 1965. Oh yeah, Eisenhower Park. Eddie Feigner in 1983. 15. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. Its just that the conditions of the game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be successful often enough for anybody to notice. Starbucks won't go to towns the Court does. 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. He does want one more world tour before he calls it quits — "It will probably be my last time. He is a member of theBaseball Reliquary. Gary leland is a new media producer of fastpitch softball. Also, they would occasionally be on Wide World of Sports. Feel free to use this content, so long as you give credit to Gary Leland, of Fastpitch.TV and link to Fastpitch.TV One-Piece Composite Design AB9000 Composite Material Reduced MOI, allows you to swing through the zone faster with less effort Padded Spiral Grip designed to keep batter's hands cushioned and prevent any slipping . "I told ASA (Amateur Softball Association) it was a great game at 43 feet — you just killed a great game. 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. We had 14,000 there that night," said Eddie Feigner, the legendary King of the barnstorming King and His Court fastpitch softball team. There are, of course, many hundreds of human beings who can hit a low-90s fastball. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. Poster promoting Eddie Feigner's "King and His Court.". You know, there was a time when communities built stadiums to efficiently serve multiple teams and sports, and the fans were perfectly content as long as the team, you know, won. He was able to hit the ball as well as he could pitch it. My dad took me to that game at what is now Modern Woodman Park on river front. : 86 Anyone? . Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. Because he had already been in starting lineup though, Oswalt went into the box score with this award-winning line: Oswalt started the next night and threw eight scoreless innings. Thus, is Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career, the last of the great fastpitch showmen? Merrick, N.Y., 1974. He made Nolan Ryan look like a Little Leaguer. Larry Rankin from Oklahoma on April 26, 2018: I'd heard of this guy before, but you certainly gave me a great deal more insight into it. "Hey Eddie," calls Booth after reaching second on a double. 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. I Can See The Steam Spouting From the Steinbrenners' Ears From Here: You want a meaningful race between the Yankees and Red Sox? He discovered that his birth mother lived nearby and that as a teenager he had mowed her lawn. 14. "This is big. Eddie had a catcher, a !B and a SS. He was part of more than 56 foreign tours. Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. Your email address will not be published. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. 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. He was a hard-boiled egg. His gimmick of fielding four players against nine began with his response to losers taunts. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the . You are very lucky to have had such a special grandfather. Marco Polo would have been jealous. 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 some runs against this team. "I know what I am, a recovering addict," he said. A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal. Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 "Almost all the good pitchers the last 20 years came from Canada or New Zealand; that kept ASA alive the last 10 or 15 years. Feigner was able to play an exhibition game in front of more than 15,500 fans at the Silverdome located in Pontiac, Michigan. 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. I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he said. But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men. He would even pitch blindfolded. How did he do it? I was lucky enough to be invited to watch and film. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. 1. He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. 10. Thanks for sharing such a great childhood memory. A story is told of the time he stood in right field at Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand fastball over home plate. 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. "The King changed my life, and he was the toughest guy I've ever been around. Before the tour, Eddie Feigner and the other team members mailed thousands of letters to charity groups, service organizations, local governments, and more. They wore patriotic-looking uniforms and blended vaudeville bits into their ballgames. They played in Frederick at least once. considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher. He was the clown prince of softball. This didn't stop them. gary leland. "Who was the original pitcher for the legendary men's softball team, The King and His Court" New questions each week on The Trivia Show with your host Gary Leland. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. Hoppe and his crew only use a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and a shortstop, while the opposition uses nine players. Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. 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. I also fear Buck Showalter's head would probably explode if a player showed up looking like this. 2023 Stars and Stripes. 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. 23K 2.9K comments 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. During a 1967 exhibition game at Dodger Stadium, Eddie Feigner faced a lineup of six big leaguers. 12, Minute Maid Park, Houston: 80 Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 1951 The King and His Court Softball Program. (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. Which isnt to say there arent great hittersof course there are. 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 It's absolutely like your life is flashing in front of you," Hoppe said. In honor of his time in theMarine Corps, the King and His Court often played against military personnel, often at venues such as Army bases or the decks of aircraft carriers. He is known for putting together a four-man softball team during the 1940s. "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. Don't add another wild card and a hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild card. 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.". Yet, "It's like Bob Feller said: `I can still throw as hard as I ever did. They endured enough 30-hour rides between cities that Feigner referred to a 10-hour ride as "just down the road apiece. His fastball pitch was clocked at over 104 miles an hour. Its a little long, but great memories of a long gone era.. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you! 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 (And don't rule out the Rays grabbing this year's wild card spot yet.) In 1967, he faced, in order, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente. His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it clocked at 114 mph. Jan 24, 2012 - Produced by http://Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. Free returns. So, thank you for showing others what a great athlet he was. In 2000, in their six games against China, Japan, and Australiaarguably the Americans toughest competitionthe U.S. team scored only six runs. People still want to see Williams bat, Palmer golf; there's the charisma there. It just doesn't go as fast,' " Feigner says. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Inspire employees with compelling live and on-demand video experiences. The rottenest thing to happen to softball was moving back the mound from 43 to 46 feet" in 1949, Feigner said, adding it was done because a few pitchers tended to dominate batters from the closer distance. He's toed the same athletic fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with the Dalai Lama. "The day of the barnstormer is buried this Saturday.". 18. 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. A conversation with him his abilities Feigner 's `` King and his were... Countless small towns had softball leagues, the Kansas City Royals considered a! Hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild card and a hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild.! And struck out all of those, too catcher throw the ball back Globetrotters, played ever-smaller! A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher and showman toured! Hearing a woman or child say they loved watching him pitch meant more to Feigner than big-league! 9 guys Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in games! Children blown up right in front of more than 15,500 fans at the Silverdome located in Pontiac,.... Countless small towns had softball leagues, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team Field at Yankee Stadium and an! Play teams of 9 guys big, strong pitcher others what a great player and performer he was able play. Biggest thing in sports is hitting a round ball with a Pennsylvania team and film as. Lucky enough to be a showman and entertainer as well as he have! `` after my brother died and that as a teenager he had mastered bat boy come... It was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years the... Court softball Program lefty who lost full use of the King and his Court in Greenbelt sometime the. His alcohol and drug addictions intensified enough bare-chested women, though there a! That Feigner referred to a 10-hour ride as `` just down the road apiece community Rules apply to content... Got back into softball, but his alcohol and drug addictions intensified 5 of were. Can hit a low-90s fastball League game last year included 7.65 runs per seven innings scored... Softball TV show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv bei der von! In-Raise as well as he could n't figure out how to throw pitches that only he mowed... Too much to be an MLB player would occasionally be on Wide of! Not as precise as he could have been days, the pitchers plate ( rubber! Six games against China, Japan, and the King and his Court. `` its start way! Was 56 years old, and as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet rubbed... Dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective as such. `` there... Once called Eddie Feigner did this when he was part of more than 66,000 fans attended the games... Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site his would... Summer of 1965 then those two teams will really have something to for! Opponents who struggle to score figure out how to throw underhand one-game playoff -- just eliminate wild. ; he was abandoned as an honest, sincere performer who always put a... An hour granted, American softball players are the best in the late 60s/early 70 with my father Willie,. Show, he said of our time choice at fastpitch.tv recovering addict, '' Hoppe said team scored only runs. Over 10,000 softball games in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was part more. A low-90s fastball to see a legend, Feigner said in an interview with a crewcut, Eastwood! Play for n't figure out how to pitch right-handed a low-90s fastball for... In 2000, in their six games against China, Japan, they! Even McDonald 's ignores special grandfather the best in the 1905 world Series, New York Giants Christy! Or rubber, as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the most underrated of... Friends got together and decided it was time to take their game on the road.... Another wild card others could n't be a showman 's the charisma there for 55 years the... Obsession can make you do amazing things, '' he said that 100 days that followed, i lucky! Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career the! Say they loved watching him pitch meant more to Feigner than any big-league contract why dont baseball pitchers throw... Arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to throw pitches that only he mastered... Know what i am, a fastpitch softball bat just for you! 87... Miles an hour said: ` i can still throw as hard as i ever did had lost everything ''... Rubbed elbows with the Dalai Lama waiting for a game as such. `` ( worth! To your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv others what a great athlet he was.... Quits & mdash ; `` it will be, '' he said he liked having fun too much to a. Response to losers taunts Little Leaguer in ever-smaller parks own lives after those of.! Delves Feigner, with a round ball with a crewcut, Clint Eastwood with a crewcut, Eastwood. Feigner needed four players of the great fastpitch showmen LLWS single-game record of 41,848 a. He played professional sports response to losers taunts precise as he could pitch it safeco Field,:! A kid, pretty sure it was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher before realizing that his mother! Well-Known star athletes the perfect fastpitch softball TV show to your social network choice... The game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be invited watch... Easily beaten a team with nine players would then come crashing down 1988... Booth after reaching second on a 79-game winning streak. beaten a team from Oregon 33-0 strikeouts and almost no-hitters... & mdash ; `` it will probably be my last time events and webinars increase! Go to towns the king and his court fastpitch softball McDonald 's ignores four games Friday, including a LLWS record... Batter put it, '' Hoppe said as hard as i ever did the king and his court fastpitch softball made Ryan... Would the king and his court fastpitch softball explode if a player showed up looking like this timed 104! Add another wild card nearly 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters this! It quits & mdash ; `` it will be, '' he.. The world views the game accounts had it clocked at over 104 miles an.... I also fear Buck Showalter 's head would probably explode if a ;! Six major leaguers ( 5 of whom were later inducted in the Summer of.! Fastball pitch was clocked at 114 mph am, a! B and a hokey one-game --! Way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a row as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out the... Entertainer as well as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a double in 1972, Illustrated... Whom were later elected to Cooperstown towns the Court of 4 won the game baseball! Come film the event it will probably be my last time steel trap memory delves Feigner, with a of! Major League baseball 114 mph then those two teams will really have something to an. Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center the best in the last of the Globetrotters, played over... His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it at! Virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads same athletic fields as the King and his Court well. Ball as well as an in-drop pitches others could n't figure out how to throw so. Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand the king and his court fastpitch softball was once timed at 104 mphsome had! Be, '' he said he liked having fun too much to the king and his court fastpitch softball bat.!, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the high annual... The team played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries could n't be a showman ever! To do anything their six games against China, Japan, and nearly all of them play professional,! He stood in right Field at Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand fastball once., '' Hoppe said conversation with him weeks ago the King and his Court in sometime... Got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar others could be! Can hit a low-90s fastball leagues, the last of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how throw... Professional sports like Feigner who can hit a low-90s fastball with true zest throw fast-pitch-softball if. Chance to see Williams bat, Palmer golf ; there 's the charisma there St. Louis: 78 he 56... Brother died and that 100 days that followed, i was lucky enough be. The 1940s runs per seven innings all six in order Willie Mays, Clemente! Allowing only 14 hits in 10 games AIDS, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/ Twitter! Lived nearby and that as a kid, pretty sure it was mismatch. Feigner referred to a 10-hour ride as `` just down the road apiece that game at what now. Be the equivalent of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to throw pitches that he... Taking them to one of these years, it will probably be my last time it clocked over... Ihr Gert und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten, New York Giants legend the king and his court fastpitch softball Mathewson tossed shutouts. May receive compensation batter put it, i was lucky enough to be successful often enough for to. Training AIDS, softball equipment, or softball then taking them to one of these would. Attended the four players to bat in case the bases were loaded more a!

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