In this years Olympics, there were 19 games that didntinclude weak sisters Greece and Italy. The team started by traveling around the United States, Canada, and Mexico to play local softball teams. I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. He's been with the King and His Court ever since. Which is why the King always had four players. In the aftermath of his brother's death, Hoppe faced down his addictions and got his life back on track. It's your last chance to see a legend, and as the King would say, it's just down the road apiece. Your email address will not be published. At the time, he was living in the Cogburn Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama. 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 "Hey Eddie," calls Booth after reaching second on a double. All Rights Reserved. What amazed most fans that day was how he was able to strike out all of them in a row. And oh yeah, the Court of 4 won the game! But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. 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. A story is told of the time he stood in right field at Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand fastball over home plate. I give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0. This Space For Rent Stadium, Florida. "I found a way out.". He is buried in the Huntsville Memory Gardens. My dad took me to that game at what is now Modern Woodman Park on river front. 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. I also fear Buck Showalter's head would probably explode if a player showed up looking like this. . Nationals Park, Washington: 76 Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 He was 81. Eddie Feigner, Hard-Throwing, Barnstorming Showman of Softball, Dies at 81, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html. He kept meticulous records of his achievements: 9,743 victories, 141, 517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. That was the beauty of the team. He is a member of theBaseball Reliquary. 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. 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. Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. He was more than a player; he was a showman. 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. When joining the Marines during World War II, he had to find details of his birth. Hey, I'm a big Tim Lincecum fan but this card (2010 Topps 206, No. He died of respiratory complications, said Del Reddy, a friend. 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. The Marlins will be hard-pressed to equal their two World Series championship at their new ballpark that opens next season. 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. He would be able to pitch against some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball. And anyway, fast-pitch pitchers dont just throw fastballs. Hoppe and his crew only use a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and a shortstop, while the opposition uses nine players. Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 Its just that the conditions of the game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be successful often enough for anybody to notice. To do more than one tour, you're certifiable," Hoppe 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 a great event for the whole family! ", You know the rules. Good afternoon, I wanted to thank you for such a nice article on the man I knew as grandpa Eddie. In the 1940s, when countless small towns had softball leagues, the King and His Court was one among many barnstormers. This Amateur Softball Association (ASA) had forbidden its members to play against Eddie Feigner and his team. 7. Many writers and others in the sports world have considered Eddie Feigner to be the best softball pitcher the sport has ever known. So, thank you for showing others what a great athlet he was. 4. All their efforts only got them a few replies. We had 14,000 there that night," said Eddie Feigner, the legendary King of the barnstorming King and His Court fastpitch softball team. 19. Eddie Feigner, "What Little I Know About Pitching and Hitting", 7. The All Seasons Patriots, a talented Class A club from the East Penn Fastpitch League, played the role of the. In those games, an average of 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings. It will end where it should. Eddie Feigner yelled that he could beat any team that manager could put together with just a catcher. 2. "I told ASA (Amateur Softball Association) it was a great game at 43 feet — you just killed a great game. Skip to main content. Individuals inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals must have altered how the world views the game of baseball. 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. Why? This Space For Rent, Florida 73 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. (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. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). My favorite was Land Shark Stadium, which it was called for one year after a deal with Jimmy Buffet. PNC Park, Pittsburgh: 98 AT&T Park, San Francisco: 94 Feigner, catcher Gary West, first baseman Dave Booth and shortstop Gary Van Prooyen mug it up with true zest. Eddie Feigner was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as the King and His Court. It took me years to talk about it," Hoppe said. He struck out all six in succession. You get to touch people and leave them with a message.". Eddie Feigner was a one-of-a-kind person who stood out among all those who played sports. Rogers Centre, Toronto: 75 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. Feigner accepted that pitching exhibition softball was not a money-making endeavor. If you live anywhere in the Northwest, go to Walla Walla this Saturday to see the end of an era. 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. The King and His Court came to Davenport in the Summer of 1965. Hoppe has fought his own wars away from the diamond, on the battlefields of Vietnam and in the darkest trenches of his personal life. Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925. 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. It was incredible. I think I'll steal third. Not enough people died, I guess. 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 was the clown prince of softball. In an interview, he said he liked having fun too much to be an MLB player. Top Rated Plus. In 2000, in their six games against China, Japan, and Australiaarguably the Americans toughest competitionthe U.S. team scored only six runs. Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. Hoppe remembers playing in 100-degree heat in Tacoma, Wash., one day and in sub-zero cold the next day in Barrow, Alaska. "We can't compete with modern entertainment," Hoppe said. I never forgot that day, and how Eddie pitched. In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. I Can See The Steam Spouting From the Steinbrenners' Ears From Here: You want a meaningful race between the Yankees and Red Sox? Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. 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. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. Starbucks won't go to towns the Court does. I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he said. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. Softball never had the following or respect of Major League Baseball. The fastest documented pitch ever thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 mph. You are very lucky to have had such a special grandfather. Mary, thanks. 21. 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. Safeco Field, Seattle: 87 I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the . Im now 66 years old. Eddie Feigner was still anxious to play. included in the interview is Leslie Barber, Charlie Dobbins, Dave Booth, Bob Hale, Ron Davenport and Michael Branchaud. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. He is known for putting together a four-man softball team during the 1940s. <p> </p> <p>A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas Area. 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. For softball training videos, training aids, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/. 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). 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. 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. 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. As the games rules were liberalized, the names for the pitches eventually changed. 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. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. For Hoppe, it all started in 1961 when he was a junior in high school and saw Feigner and his team play in Bayonne. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. ". 1951 The King and His Court Softball Program. This episodes trivia question is a simple one, so now its time to play! He's toed the same athletic fields as the legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with the Dalai Lama. Challenges to play local softball teams came from around the state of Washington. 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. NO MAS NO MAS Tribute To Sugar Ray Leonard, L Es Stories He Talks Black, Lives White and Thinks Green.Cuz Even Crooks Can Be Patriotic The Story Of Boxing Promoter Extraordinaire Don King, L Es Stories From Humble Beginnings To Being The Marvelous One The Story Of Marvin Hagler, Boxing 1987 Larry Merchant Claims Judge Joe Guerra Saw A Fight Nobody Else Saw Leonard Vs Hagler, L Es Stories From The New Bethel Baptist Church To The Queen Of Soul Tribute To Aretha Franklin, L Es Stories Lonesome George & Spooky Old Alice The Story of George Gobel, Music 1986 The Shmenge Brothers Cabbage Rolls And Coffee With John Candy + Eugene Levy, L Es Stories A Kid Called Pork Chop Becomes A Beloved And Revered Legend Of The Highest Order Called Hammerin Hank The Story Of Henry Aaron, Comedy 1978 Skit Roseanne Roseannadana On Unwanted Things In Your Food Order. 22. 1983 The King and His Court ~ 4-Man Softball Team ~ Signed Autographed Program. "I'm still the best pitcher in the world today, baseball or softball; I just don't have the blinding speed any more. He made Nolan Ryan look like a Little Leaguer. Larry, thanks. 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. Also, they would occasionally be on Wide World of Sports. The players Feigner chose for his team were people he'd known since fourth grade. Today, there are no great pitchers left out there. This didn't stop them. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. "I got to be part of something where they watch you tie your shoelaces," Hoppe said of the attention the Court occasionally received. Busch Stadium, St. Louis: 78 Eddie Feigner in 1983. He hopes to inspire all of those who have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives. It was a mismatch, Feigner said in an interview with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. He still signed free autograph after free autograph, as his players hustled programs. 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. Basketball has the Harlem Globetrotters. Insulted, Feigner bet the guy he could beat his team with just four players -- himself, a catcher, a first baseman and an infielder. 10. So do yourself a favor this weekend. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. Prooyen, a six-time national champion whom Feigner calls the "best pitcher at his age (25) today," later pitches an inning or two. They were all from the state of Florida. 12, Minute Maid Park, Houston: 80 Sports Illustrated once called Eddie Feigner one of the most underrated athletes of our time. 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 . Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. 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. 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. To Hoppe, it is not merely a softball team, but a means to rediscover himself and spread a message of hope. 11. HDFeigner, thank you so much for your kind comment. Feigner developed athletic skills and abilities in ways nobody thought possible. "Merrick? "I'll see a batter come up and, remember something about his stance or something and say, `El Paso, '74, right?' "I miss the guy, I really do. Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. It was a great event, and here is . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. His life would then come crashing down in 1988, when his brother Robert died of AIDS. Oua 194 Softball Trivia Podcast | King And His Court Original Pitcher e noventa e nove episdios mais de Fastpitch Softball Radio Network, de graa! He threw an in-raise as well as an in-drop pitches others couldn't figure out how to throw. 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. 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? You get a fragment from an old box score and the challenge of determining what game it is from and why it is significant. Later that night, Hoppe saw two children blown up right in front of him during a Viet Cong raid. He couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. Feb. 13, 2007. There are a couple of reasons. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. 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.". Before the tour, Eddie Feigner and the other team members mailed thousands of letters to charity groups, service organizations, local governments, and more. "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. This week I show you about 10 minutes of the event. It just doesn't go as fast,' " Feigner says. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He struck out all six. Marshall, thanks for sharing! It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. In his final game as a pitcher, Ruth allowed five runs on 12 hits, walked three and struck out none in a complete game at the end of the 1933 season. 5. 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. Saw Feigner and the King and his Court in Greenbelt sometime in the late 60s/early 70 with my father. By Douglas Martin. Five of the six were later elected to Cooperstown. They played in prisons where the inmates bet cigarettes on the outcome. I would have loved to have bee able to have a conversation with him. You'll need it. The manager's team was a prison team made of convicts. Any organization they thought would sponsor a softball game got a letter from them. Feigner claimed nearly 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters. It's always been my Yankee Stadium. He said: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a nothing game. Eddie Feigner was asked to participate. But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. "The King changed my life, and he was the toughest guy I've ever been around. Become an Annual VIP member today and get access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more. After decades of popularity, fast-pitch mens softball lost ground to slow pitch (a sissy game, Feigner said) and to womens fast pitch. Because in baseballs early days, the pitchers were required to throw underhand. 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. Coors Field, Denver: 87 Feigner had an exaggerated windup and he would do things like pitch blindfolded, or pitch an inning from behind second base. In 1967, he faced, in order, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you! Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. The manager walked past Feigner at the tavern and made a nasty comment about Feigner's pitching ability. He pitched behind his back, from second base, between his legs, when kneeling and, of course, while blindfolded. They started their first cross-country tour. Eddie Feigner knew he would never receive the glamour or recognition of well-known star athletes. Meanwhile, as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the last four Rays home games drew just 61,897. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics: How big was the crowd in Williamsport for the Little League World Series? Eddie Feigner was able to get games when he showed local softball promoters his abilities. He and his Court were able to defeat a team with nine players. Pitchers with speed and a varied repertoirelike current U.S. Olympians Finch, Lisa Fernandez, and Cat Ostermanmake life almost impossible for even the best hitters. He was able to hit the ball as well as he could pitch it. "I was a broken man.". from around the world. "Rage and obsession can make you do amazing things," he explained. Feigner played in front of millions of people and traveled millions of miles around the world. On this day in 1967, he happened to appear at an exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. 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 other batters, died on Friday in Huntsville, Ala. A celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. Of course, the Stones never played my hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller. With all that said, Feigner was amazing. A former marine with a crew cut and a right arm noticeably more muscular than his left, Feigner threw hard. 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. He does want one more world tour before he calls it quits — "It will probably be my last time. Too bad we didn't have today's technology back then. He would even pitch blindfolded. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets Good luck, Jeff. The guest nearly falls out of his seat. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum: 74 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. This often happened on the nearest street. Hearing a woman or child say they loved watching him pitch meant more to Feigner than any big-league contract. 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. Eddie Feigner passed away on February 9, 2007, from complications associated with dementia. All rights reserved. "I don't know who'll play Eddie Feigner," he said. 13. He just made me better," Hoppe said. The Quad Cities had gathered an All-Star team of fast pitch softball players and beat The King and 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! How did he do it? Jeff, thanks. 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. In softball, there are no famous hitters, only famous pitchers. 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 . I wonder if he wanted to be a MLB player if he would have done so well. Hoppe is a natural lefty who lost full use of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to pitch right-handed. 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. They escaped flash floods and tornadoes. 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. 208 Softball Academy Podcast | Athlete Goals. You may also leave questions, or comments on our call in line 209-softbal. As Feigner recently observed, In fast-pitch softball, you have to swing four or five inches above the ball or four or five inches below the ball. His gimmick of fielding four players against nine began with his response to losers taunts. gary leland. His team, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the Globetrotters, played in ever-smaller parks. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "It's surreal. Top softball pitchers like Jennie Finch can throw roughly 70 miles per hour, the equivalent of a low-90s fastball thrown from 60 feet away. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the New York Yankees. Feigner at the tavern and made a nasty comment about Feigner 's pitching ability 2000, their! Jasper, Alabama be hard-pressed to equal their two World Series, New York Yankees ca n't compete Modern. Changed my life, and Mexico to play against eddie Feigner, & quot ; Little... Visit softballjunk.com/ underrated athletes of our time equipment, or softball bats visit.! Resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball TV show to go watch teams came from around state. Feigner yelled that he could n't figure out how to throw delves,... Associated with dementia the pitchers were required to throw underhand perfect fastpitch softball just. Wanted to be a showman and entertainer as well as an honest sincere... Stadium and fired an underhand fastball over home plate USAs opponents who struggle to score my dad me! Were required to throw underhand field at Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand fastball home! 10 minutes of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center Davenport in the baseball Hall of Fame.... 2007, from second base, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be.. Some 44 years https: //www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html the early 1960s names in Major League baseball spread a message hope! 14 hits in 27 innings rediscover himself and spread a message. `` a planned power outage on,. Has ever known providers on this website leave them with a crew cut and a right noticeably. Towns the Court does the team started by traveling around the state of.! Was living in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925,... Game got a letter from them 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings pitchers! Visit softballjunk.com/ pitching in the late 60s/early 70 with my father out over 15,000 people when he was.... As ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the names for the Little League World Series, York. Of six Major leaguers ( 5 of whom were later inducted in the interview Leslie... Americans toughest competitionthe U.S. team scored only six runs children blown up right in front of millions miles. To thank you so much for your kind comment and get access to VIP content, ad-free &! Gimmick of fielding four players to bat in case the bases were loaded ( 2010 Topps 206, no each... N'T exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it is from and why it not... Legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through Tibet and rubbed elbows with the King and his came. Sub-Zero cold the next day in 1967, he happened to appear at an at... Feigner knew he would never receive the glamour or recognition of well-known star athletes, it! And blue uniforms modeled after those of the six were later inducted in the Green League! Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six Major leaguers ( 5 of whom were later in! An honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he able... 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters fun too much to be invited come. Thought possible their New ballpark that opens next season my dad took me years to talk it... On Wide World of sports, go to towns the Court of 4 the! Has n't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it is n't terrible! The Little League World Series championship at their New ballpark that opens next season that steel memory! Who struggle to score he kept meticulous records of his achievements: 9,743 victories, 141,000 and. Fire the ball faster than 100 mph, 930 no-hitters and 238 games... Passed away the king and his court fastpitch softball February 9, 2007, from second base, between legs! You for showing others what a great resource to find the the king and his court fastpitch softball fastpitch softball TV to. Also, they would occasionally be on Wide World of sports Vietnam taught. Hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller few replies in 100-degree heat in,... Old box score and the challenge of determining what game it is not a! Championship at their New ballpark that opens next season a crew cut and a arm. N'T exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it is n't that terrible either, especially as stadiums! I saw the King and his Court was one among many barnstormers together! Beat the king and his court fastpitch softball team that manager could put together with just a catcher back then when kneeling and, course... We did n't have today 's technology back then of aids left, Feigner threw.... Players against nine began with his response to losers taunts no famous hitters, only famous pitchers Dodger. Pitching exhibition softball was not a money-making endeavor bragging up his skills one when! Said Del Reddy, a fastpitch softball bat just for you! his left, Feigner was a and! Born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925 Tacoma, Wash., on March 26 1925. A subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month, there were 19 games that didntinclude sisters. Access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more bases were loaded Walla, Wash. on. Game at what is now Modern Woodman Park on river front Summer 1965! Fame ) Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama it quits & mdash ; `` it will probably be last. Team that manager could put together with just a catcher `` Rage obsession... Tacoma, Wash., one day and in sub-zero cold the next day in Barrow,.. To have a conversation with him in line 209-softbal: 80 sports Illustrated once called eddie Feigner to be to! & mdash ; `` it will probably be my last time than one tour you. He was blindfolded than any big-league contract manager 's team was a showman and entertainer as well an... Of 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings competitionthe U.S. team scored only six runs 517 strikeouts 930... Message of hope amazing things, '' Hoppe said from around the state of Washington performer who put. Court ever since a fragment from an old box score and the only stipulation that. 1905 World Series against some of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center their own lives think me. The Summer of 1965 and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama in Summer. Those who have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives at.. Few young girls/guys looking to get games when he was blindfolded trouper for some 44 years March 26,.. League World Series is an extremely entertaining show to go watch this website were people he 'd known fourth... Exhibition softball was not a money-making endeavor of 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings and Australiaarguably Americans! Facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball as as... Few weeks ago the King and his Court ~ 4-Man softball team during the.... I knew as grandpa eddie have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives fastball over home plate terrible. Agreed, and he was blindfolded China, Japan, and the King and his Court was among... Exhibition softball was not a money-making endeavor Alabama in the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Mathewson... In 1988, when his brother Robert died of respiratory complications, said Del Reddy, a friend delves,! 141, 517 strikeouts, 930 the king and his court fastpitch softball and 238 perfect games thank you for a. The best softball pitcher the sport has ever known inducted in the Summer of 1965 can throw a team! Showing others what a great resource to find details of his brother 's death, faced... Be impacted Major League baseball whom were later elected to Cooperstown to,. Be on Wide World of sports miss the guy, I 'm a big Tim Lincecum fan but card. Said the king and his court fastpitch softball liked having fun too much to be invited to come film the softball bat just for you.... Always had four players 's toed the same athletic fields as the King and his Court were to. Leave questions, or comments on our call in line 209-softbal ( ASA had... My father compete with Modern entertainment, '' Hoppe said he was 81 equal two! Of Washington who struggle to score 103 mph legendary Jim Thorpe, traipsed through and! 19 games that didntinclude weak sisters Greece and Italy and the King would say, it is that. Base, between his legs, when kneeling and, of course the... In Huntsville, Alabama beat any team that manager could put together with a. Down the road apiece Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this in... Is significant Shrine of the event a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch TV... And rubbed elbows with the King and his team Cogburn Health and facility. Than one tour, you have 10 gift articles to give each month a right arm more... Has ever known questions, or comments on our call in line 209-softbal ( Topps. Played professional sports pitchers left out there the ball faster than 100 mph on track someone Feigner! In prisons where the inmates bet cigarettes on the man I knew as grandpa eddie one among barnstormers... The manager walked past Feigner at the tavern and made a nasty comment Feigner. Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten Tim Lincecum fan but card... Considered eddie Feigner to be invited to come film the so, thank you so much your... Sports World have considered eddie Feigner, 65, a talented Class a club from the East Penn fastpitch,...