He and his court, which included only a catcher, first-baseman and shortstop, played everywhere from Yankee Stadium to the Great Wall of China. The King and His Court went to towns even McDonald's ignores. You are very lucky to have had such a special grandfather. or Best Offer. 20. Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 How did he do it? But if youd like to know what the game was like around 1900, Olympic softball is probably a better analogue than the current iteration of Major League Baseball. 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. This is an organization dedicated to promoting baseball as a way to appreciate American culture and art. Eddie Feigner, Hard-Throwing, Barnstorming Showman of Softball, Dies at 81, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html. I remember seeing them in commericals as a kid, pretty sure it was Bud or Lite Beer commericals. 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. It played in Saudi Arabia, the jungles of Thailand and near the DMZ between North and South Korea. 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. It's always been my Yankee Stadium. 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. Men's fast-pitch softball has the King and His Court. Hoppe and his crew only use a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and a shortstop, while the opposition uses nine players. And the guy blinks and says, `Right.' 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. If you swing at the ball, youll strike out every time.. Its like being a world-champion nose-blower.. 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. The friends got together and decided it was time to take their game on the road. He couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. Adding teams to the postseason doesn't increase the tension of pennant races, it diminishes it. It was a mismatch, Feigner said in an interview with a publication of the Loma Linda University Adventist Health Science Center. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Five of the six were later elected to Cooperstown. Individuals inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals must have altered how the world views the game of baseball. Thus, is Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career, the last of the great fastpitch showmen? Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Wash., on March 26, 1925. 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. 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. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. Feigner claimed nearly 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters. Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. They were awesome. For softball training videos, training aids, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/. "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. They had 4 players and would play teams of 9 guys. He left the military in 1944. 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. information. <p> </p> <p>A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas Area. ), 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. Your email address will not be published. In international competition, the pitchers plate (or rubber, as baseball fans know it) is only 43 feet from home plate. 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 Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. This episodes trivia question is a simple one, so now its time to play! He was part of more than 56 foreign tours. In the 2000 Olympics, the gold-medal-winning U.S. softball team allowed only seven runs and 24 hits in 10 games. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Feigner was Sidd Finch with a crewcut, Clint Eastwood with a fastball. "I'll see a batter come up and, remember something about his stance or something and say, `El Paso, '74, right?' Ted Williams was fond of saying that the toughest thing in sports is hitting a round ball with a round bat. In 2002, ESPN.com listed Feigner as one of the 10 greatest pitchers in a list that included Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax. The last 100 games of the King and his Court. You'll need it. The first game for the King and His Court took place behind the barbed wire and high walls of a prison. PNC Park, Pittsburgh: 98 I wonder if he wanted to be a MLB player if he would have done so well. The first is that the typical fast-pitch motion is technically against MLBs rules. 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. Busch Stadium, St. Louis: 78 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! Last summer, Feigner (pronounced FAY-ner) sometimes rose from his wheelchair to throw a pitch or two, despite dementia and a succession of strokes and heart attacks. He was a hard-boiled egg. 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. It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. They wore patriotic-looking uniforms and blended vaudeville bits into their ballgames. Hey, I'm a big Tim Lincecum fan but this card (2010 Topps 206, No. He often told people it was a good feeling to know he was unique. "I found a way out.". Too dumb to quit, he growled. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum: 74 If you live anywhere in the Northwest, go to Walla Walla this Saturday to see the end of an era. 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. We had some interesting lines this week. : 86 (Theyre currently on a 79-game winning streak.) Eventually, they began to travel around the globe to play softball. Jan 24, 2012 - Produced by http://Fastpitch.TV - A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas area. 7. He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. Bueller? $44.90. "I miss the guy, I really do. It has been estimated the team played over 10,000 softball games in over 100 countries. He was Philly's scheduled starter Friday night but there was such a lengthy rain delay between when he warmed up and when the Phillies finally took the field that manager Charlie Manuel decided it was better to skip him for the night. This Space For Rent, Florida 73 Today, there are no great pitchers left out there. 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. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. His team, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the Globetrotters, played in ever-smaller parks. But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. Feigner had an exaggerated windup and he would do things like pitch blindfolded, or pitch an inning from behind second base. HDFeigner, thank you so much for your kind comment. 6. 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. People still want to see Williams bat, Palmer golf; there's the charisma there. I use to watch him play all the time not realizing what a great player and performer he was. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Marshall, thanks for sharing! Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. (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. He died of respiratory complications, said Del Reddy, a friend. 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. Inductees have included Roberto Clemente, Jackie Robinson, Vin Scully, Satchel Paige, and others. I was lucky enough to be invited to watch and film. Jeff, thanks. In softball, there are no famous hitters, only famous pitchers. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. "It's entertainment -- it's comedy," Hoppe says. "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. (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. You can follow him on Twitter at jimcaple. He said: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a nothing game. That gave him season marks of .301, 34 home runs, 101 RBIs, a 1.023 OPS and a 1-0 record. 2023 Stars and Stripes. And the second is that pitchers can throw harder overhand, and real men like to throw the ball hard. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. He struck out Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente consecutively. Thanks for sharing such a great childhood memory. That was the beauty of the team. Their popularity kept growing. 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. They played racetracks, stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast and the Houston Astrodome. The six? 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. 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. And maybe he deserved it. 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. A celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. "You don't care. The softball team was very popular with audiences because they performed funny tricks that made the fans laugh. Coors Field, Denver: 87 I just thought that was normal. 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. During a 1967 exhibition game at Dodger Stadium, Eddie Feigner faced a lineup of six big leaguers. Feigner struck out all six in order Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. In this years Olympics, there were 19 games that didntinclude weak sisters Greece and Italy. Anyone can read what you share. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. In 1972, Sports Illustrated called Feigner, who pitched 238 perfect games, the most underrated athlete of his time. 208 Softball Academy Podcast | Athlete Goals. Of course, the Stones never played my hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller. Eddie Feigner passed away on February 9, 2007, from complications associated with dementia. 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. I Can See The Steam Spouting From the Steinbrenners' Ears From Here: You want a meaningful race between the Yankees and Red Sox? I'm still the biggest thing in softball.". "It's surreal. The decline of fastpitch, Feigner says, began shortly after he left the service. His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it clocked at 114 mph. This is a story on sports legend Eddie Feigner" a.k.a. And anyway, fast-pitch pitchers dont just throw fastballs. Progressive Field, Cleveland: 82 If you haven't seen the King and His Court, well, it's your own damn fault. It was incredible. He struck out all six in succession. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged. 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. In 1950, the team members, as well as Feigner, were unemployed. Which brings up an interesting question: When was the last time the starting pitcher appeared in box scores on consecutive days with no runs allowed in either game? Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. The Marlins are about to enter their final month at their home stadium, which has had seven official names (if you count minor changes from Park to Stadium and from Dolphin to Dolphins), none of them ever spoken in endearing terms. ". I was about 10 years old, and they asked me to be bat boy. 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. It all began in 1946. In the 1940s, when countless small towns had softball leagues, the King and His Court was one among many barnstormers. Eddie Feigner is a member of Shrine of the Eternals, which is part of the Baseball Reliquary. 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