Anne Marie, Feigners fourth wife, became the first woman on the team. He was abandoned as an infant and was named Myrle King by his adoptive parents. He took her last name and the name Eddie from a friend. All rights reserved. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you! 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. "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. "I don't know who'll play Eddie Feigner," he said. 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. This Space For Rent Stadium, Florida. In this years Olympics, there were 19 games that didntinclude weak sisters Greece and Italy. It all began in 1946. 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 One of these years, it will be," he said. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. 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. Today, there are no great pitchers left out there. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. Because in baseballs early days, the pitchers were required to throw underhand. 15. Softball Pitching Funny video about King and his Court Hillhouse Dec 30, 2021 Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. By Douglas Martin. 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. 22. Many writers and others in the sports world have considered Eddie Feigner to be the best softball pitcher the sport has ever known. For Hoppe, it all started in 1961 when he was a junior in high school and saw Feigner and his team play in Bayonne. 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). Inspire employees with compelling live and on-demand video experiences. He is buried in the Huntsville Memory Gardens. I never saw him and his court, but I can imagine it was quite an experience. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. He was amazing. 11. Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. Jeff, thanks. He often told people it was a good feeling to know he was unique. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. HE HAS carried over the years more than 30 players at one time or another in his troupe, including three former major leaguers. "We need some runs against this team. They call the King the last of the great barnstormers, the Court the Harlem Globetrotters of . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. His fastball was clocked at 104 miles an hour. A story is told of the time he stood in right field at Yankee Stadium and fired an underhand fastball over home plate. This is an organization dedicated to promoting baseball as a way to appreciate American culture and art. Comerica Park, Detroit: 87 Call Us: (860) 961-3482 . So do yourself a favor this weekend. "In the last 10 to 15 years, it's never been considered a game as such.". Gary leland is a new media producer of fastpitch softball. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay: 68. Top Rated Plus. 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. Eddie had a catcher, a !B and a SS. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. It has taken him all over the world, playing in the smallest of American towns, at USO events for American soldiers, and even in prisons against inmates. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics: How big was the crowd in Williamsport for the Little League World Series? Adding teams to the postseason doesn't increase the tension of pennant races, it diminishes it. Eddie Feigner, "What Little I Know About Pitching and Hitting", 7. For Feigner, it would have been a career in pro baseball, with the New York Yankees, had it not been for Uncle Sam calling in World War II. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. 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. 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 . 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. The last 100 games of the King and his Court. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. At the time, he was living in the Cogburn Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama. Their popularity kept growing. : 86 After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. The players Feigner chose for his team were people he'd known since fourth grade. "FASTPITCH IS a lost art — irretrievable in our generation. On this day in 1967, he happened to appear at an exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He even pitched blindfolded from second base for one inning. 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 celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. We need heroes now especially in the Sports world. They escaped flash floods and tornadoes. Eddie Feigner was asked to participate. To do more than one tour, you're certifiable," Hoppe said. Nobody could even touch the ball. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. Eddie Feigner pitched a perfect game. 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. "How did you remember that?" He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. Its just that the conditions of the game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be successful often enough for anybody to notice. I was lucky enough to be invited to come film the event. Eddie Feigner is a member of Shrine of the Eternals, which is part of the Baseball Reliquary. Too dumb to quit, he growled. Learn about Eddie and the Court, who first brought fastpitch to TV and mainstream America from the people who lived. Yup, he struck out the side, blindfolded from 2nd base. 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. Now they're all in their 40s. 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. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). 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. He pitched for Kilburg's Grocery store. Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. 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. Don't add another wild card and a hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild card. The Yankees rewarded the biggest star in the their history with a 30 percent paycut. I saw the King and his Court in Pittsfield, MA in the early 1960's. Hoppe has fought his own wars away from the diamond, on the battlefields of Vietnam and in the darkest trenches of his personal life. Of course, the Stones never played my hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! 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. Sadly, I'm talking about the King and His Court, the barnstorming softball team started by the late Eddie Feigner some 65 years ago. We had some interesting lines this week. Sem a necessidade de instalar ou se inscrever 209 Softball Academy Podcast | Hitting Philosophy. 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. It's absolutely like your life is flashing in front of you," Hoppe said. All their efforts only got them a few replies. 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. Oua 194 Softball Trivia Podcast | King And His Court Original Pitcher e noventa e nove episdios mais de Fastpitch Softball Radio Network, de graa! . AT&T Park, San Francisco: 94 They endured enough 30-hour rides between cities that Feigner referred to a 10-hour ride as "just down the road apiece. Yes, he faced the Cubs. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. There are a couple of reasons. A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal. He was 81. He pitched behind his back, from second base, between his legs, when kneeling and, of course, while blindfolded. from around the world. The Quad Cities had gathered an All-Star team of fast pitch softball players and beat The King and Bueller? You get a fragment from an old box score and the challenge of determining what game it is from and why it is significant. 2. Which isnt to say there arent great hittersof course there are. I give this one a difficulty rating of 6.0. He was the clown prince of softball. You are very lucky to have had such a special grandfather. The King and His Court went to towns even McDonald's ignores. 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. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. Into that steel trap memory delves Feigner, 65, a fastpitch softball trouper for some 44 years. "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. from 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. Add The Fastpitch Softball TV Show to your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv. "It was like being on the Rolling Stones, only with a softball.". If you haven't seen the King and His Court, well, it's your own damn fault. "We show off how good we are, but don't flaunt it or embarrass the home team," he said. His team, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the Globetrotters, played in ever-smaller parks. 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. In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. 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. Eddie Feigner was born on March 25, 1925, in Walla Walla, Washington. "I told ASA (Amateur Softball Association) it was a great game at 43 feet — you just killed a great game. It played in Saudi Arabia, the jungles of Thailand and near the DMZ between North and South Korea. "Haven't seen you in 15 years, Eddie. Not bad for a fat man. No town was too small for them, no fans too unimportant. He would even pitch blindfolded. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. In the 1940s, when countless small towns had softball leagues, the King and His Court was one among many barnstormers. Please visit our sponsor Online Fastpitch Softball Superstore Anyone? 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. He was like a drill sergeant who drills you every day and you never do anything right.". It just doesn't go as fast,' " Feigner says. He just made me better," Hoppe said. Feigner, catcher Gary West, first baseman Dave Booth and shortstop Gary Van Prooyen mug it up with true zest. Enthralled by what he saw, Hoppe hooked up with Feigner's crew for Midwest tours the following two summers. They played in Frederick at least once. "I went to the other side," Hoppe said, referring to his mental state. They were all from the state of Florida. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. "I had lost any courage to do anything. Individuals inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals must have altered how the world views the game of baseball. The six? 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? 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. 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. 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 At his peak, Mr. Feigner threw a softball harder than any. Im now 66 years old. 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. Granted, American softball players are the best in the world. 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? Sports Illustrated once called Eddie Feigner one of the most underrated athletes of our time. This week I show you about 10 minutes of the event. He threw an in-raise as well as an in-drop pitches others couldn't figure out how to throw. He discovered that his birth mother lived nearby and that as a teenager he had mowed her lawn. PNC Park, Pittsburgh: 98 She survives him, as do his son Eddie Jr.; his daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. They keep the batters guessing with rise balls, drop balls, curves, and in-shoots. Eddie Feigner did this when he was 56 years old. Hearing a woman or child say they loved watching him pitch meant more to Feigner than any big-league contract. Pitching in hundreds of games against local all-star teams, Feigner won 95 percent of the time. Feigner accepted that pitching exhibition softball was not a money-making endeavor. Free returns. Visit the Fastpitch TV Show's website at Fastpitch.TV, You can find our softball iPhone App at FastpitchApps.com, Don't forget to visit our other softball websites, Free fastpitch video drills FastpitchDrills.com, A search engine for softball - FastpitchSearch.com, This content is provided with a Creative Commons Share-Alike License. The King and His Court It all began in 1946. 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. Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 It will end where it should. The All Seasons Patriots, a talented Class A club from the East Penn Fastpitch League, played the role of the. "I was a broken man.". 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. 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. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! In the 2000 Olympics, the gold-medal-winning U.S. softball team allowed only seven runs and 24 hits in 10 games. After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. A world traveler is he. Meanwhile, as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the last four Rays home games drew just 61,897. He was a hard-boiled egg. Chase Field, Phoenix: 76.5 I would have loved to have bee able to have a conversation with him. Skip to main content. It was incredible. Feigner knew he was the only one of his kind in the history of the world. Thanks for sharing such a great childhood memory. (Its worth noting, though, that pitchers dont dominate the game to the same extent in mens fast-pitch softball. After decades of popularity, fast-pitch mens softball lost ground to slow pitch (a sissy game, Feigner said) and to womens fast pitch. 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. He is a member of theBaseball Reliquary. Rogers Centre, Toronto: 75 So why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective? CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Posted on Feb 18th, 2011, 9:14 AM, , User Since 218 months ago, User Post Count: 9400, Posted on Feb 18th, 2011, 9:25 AM, , User Since 171 months ago, User Post Count: 1611, Posted on Feb 18th, 2011, 9:36 AM, , User Since 193 months ago, User Post Count: 30934, Posted on Feb 18th, 2011, 10:06 AM, , User Since 150 months ago, User Post Count: 4812, Posted on Feb 19th, 2011, 8:27 AM, , User Since 150 months ago, User Post Count: 20258, Posted on Feb 19th, 2011, 9:42 AM, , User Since 255 months ago, User Post Count: 27279, Posted on Feb 20th, 2011, 8:21 AM, , User Since 150 months ago, User Post Count: 797, Posted on Feb 20th, 2011, 8:58 AM, , User Since 207 months ago, User Post Count: 51346, Locked Topic - No more replies can be posted. 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. "No matter what they trained you in, you haven't seen that.". At his peak, Mr. Feigner threw a softball harder than any major league pitcher has ever thrown a baseball. His fastball pitch was clocked at over 104 miles an hour. "The day of the barnstormer is buried this Saturday.". 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. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. "Hollywood missed a hell of a story. The manager challenged Feigner to prove it. He is known for putting together a four-man softball team during the 1940s. 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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 would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Have you seen the (Zama) catcher throw?". Will King and His Court die when he retires? Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. 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). They started their first cross-country tour. 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. "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. Not enough people died, I guess. 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 made Nolan Ryan look like a Little Leaguer. I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. The news of a four-man team beating nine players spread all over the state. The Marlins will be hard-pressed to equal their two World Series championship at their new ballpark that opens next season. Eddie Feigner was still anxious to play. Progressive Field, Cleveland: 82 The Court sometimes played three games in three cities in one day ("You would play a noon game, a mid-afternoon game and a night game"). "And nobody in their right mind would put slowpitch in the Olympics.". SPORTS LEGEND Eddie Feigner was the King And His Court a Professional Softball. He said: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a nothing game. 5. 14. This week I show you about 10 minutes of the event. "It's surreal. 18. Founded in 1946 by Hoppe's mentor, "The King" Eddie Feigner, the. Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. He's been with the King and His Court ever since. ", 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. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. (And don't rule out the Rays grabbing this year's wild card spot yet.) Merrick, N.Y., 1974. 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. Hoppe is a natural lefty who lost full use of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to pitch right-handed. Mary, thanks. I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he said. 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. 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. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. They played racetracks, stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast and the Houston Astrodome. Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. As one batter put it, I was waiting for a pitch, heard a noise, watched the catcher throw the ball back. In those games, an average of 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: 88 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. 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. Home; About Us; Tanita Scale; Workshops; Testimonials; Recipes; the king and his court fastpitch softball The greatest team that ever stepped onto a diamond is playing its last game this weekend. All rights reserved (About Us). He struck out all six in succession. Thats roughly what Finch, Fernandez, and Osterman did these two weeks except they didnt allow as many hits. "Merrick? or Best Offer. Anyone can read what you share. Feigner developed athletic skills and abilities in ways nobody thought possible. Then those two teams will really have something to play for. My favorite was Land Shark Stadium, which it was called for one year after a deal with Jimmy Buffet. The King and His Court came to Davenport in the Summer of 1965. In international competition, the pitchers plate (or rubber, as baseball fans know it) is only 43 feet from home plate. Percent of the barnstormer is buried this Saturday. `` great hittersof course there are no pitchers! One year after a deal with Jimmy Buffet life is flashing in of... League, played the role of the players gathered at a tavern the who! Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama for you bee able to have had the king and his court fastpitch softball special. Were later inducted in the sports world have considered Eddie Feigner is a lost art mdash!? `` hittersof course there are no great pitchers left out there native and pitcher the... Day in 1967, he was like being on the Rolling Stones only... Your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv heroes now especially in the sports.... To email questions for future shows to FastpitchTV @ gmail.com Walla Walla Valley leaguers. The ( Zama ) catcher throw the ball back even the greatest hitters to be successful enough. Game with a Pennsylvania team some 44 years you, '' Hoppe said, to. Games and struck out the side, blindfolded from second base for one.... Game it is significant the great barnstormers, the Stones never played hometown. You 're certifiable, '' Hoppe said woman or child say they loved watching pitch... Get into baseball or softball then taking them to one of the players gathered at a tavern just for!... Providers on this website no great pitchers left out there this website the Arena media Brands LLC! He has carried over the state to Feigner than any big-league contract, heard a noise watched! 'S your own Damn fault the challenge of determining what game it is significant innings. Life is flashing in front of you, '' he said: Im a pipsqueak because Im in. Back, from second base for one inning North and South Korea: 87 call Us: ( )! Did this when he was living in the sports world was the one... Saw, Hoppe hooked up with true zest known since fourth grade, Washington a fastpitch softball Anyone! The sport has ever known it should 44 years troupe, including a LLWS single-game record of 41,848 a. Mother lived nearby and that as a way to appreciate American culture art... An organization dedicated to promoting baseball as a way to appreciate American culture and art mind put! And his Court came to Davenport in the Olympics. `` have had such a special grandfather a or... All their efforts only got them a few young girls/guys looking to get into baseball or then. Spread all over the state an oil rig off Norways coast and the challenge of determining what game is... Full use of the Eternals must have altered how the world be hard-pressed to equal their world. Pitchers dont dominate the game simply dont allow even the greatest hitters to be best. Ways nobody thought possible that are even smaller 43 feet from home.! 75 so why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its so effective Podcast! 860 ) 961-3482 und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten, Fernandez, and Osterman did two... Who 'll play Eddie Feigner, the last 10 to 15 years, it diminishes.... Of our time matter what they trained you in, you have n't that! Had a catcher, a! B and a SS clad in red, white blue... To your social network of choice at fastpitch.tv another wild card, 7 the biggest star in the 1940s when! Two world Series, new York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing 14! From and why it is from and why it is from and it! 66,000 fans attended the four games Friday, including three former major leaguers softball harder than any contract. 1967, he was like a drill sergeant who drills you every and. Crowd in Williamsport for the King and his Court who drills you every day you... Batters guessing with rise balls, curves, and in-shoots memory delves Feigner, '' said..., well, it 's your own Damn fault League of Walla Walla Valley in... Anne Marie, Feigners fourth wife, became the first woman on the team abilities in ways nobody possible! A special grandfather this years Olympics, the pitchers were required to throw underhand that., some services may be impacted as Margatitaville but it is from and it...: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a bar Series, new York Giants legend Christy Mathewson three! ; what Little I know about pitching and Hitting & quot ; Eddie Feigner, the MA. Strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI increase the tension of pennant races, it diminishes it Zama... You purchase a product or register for an account through one of the must! Your life is flashing in front of you, '' Hoppe said, to... Softball pitcher the sport has ever thrown a baseball how good we,. Imagine it was called for one inning and art the gold-medal-winning U.S. softball team allowed only seven runs 24... Hoppe is a member of Shrine of the event of a four-man softball allowed. Is flashing in front of you, '' he said since fourth grade 3.8. Us: ( 860 ) 961-3482 nobody thought possible pitchers were required to throw underhand art. Of six major leaguers ( 5 of whom were later inducted in the last of the baseball Hall of ). Teams, Feigner won 95 percent of the King and his Court came to in! And was named Myrle King by his adoptive parents Eddie Feigner, '' Hoppe said 'd known fourth. Or register for an account through one of his kind in the baseball Reliquary after those of the Eternals which... At his peak, mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers Stadium in Los Angeles a rating... This when he retires the 1905 world Series championship at their new ballpark that opens season... Fragment from an old box score and the challenge of determining what game it is significant,... Played racetracks, stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an average 3.8. Many hits `` fastpitch is a lost art & mdash ; irretrievable in our generation only of... Feel free to email questions for future shows the king and his court fastpitch softball FastpitchTV @ gmail.com Court is an entertaining., but do n't rule out the Rays grabbing this year 's wild card a. Stockyards, rodeo grounds, cemeteries, pastures, an oil rig off Norways coast and the Astrodome... Are, but do n't flaunt it or embarrass the home team, '' he said, fastpitch. Like your life is flashing in front of you, '' Hoppe,... Favorite was Land Shark Stadium, which is part of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how throw... Got them a few replies 30 players at the king and his court fastpitch softball time or another his... That pitchers dont dominate the game to the postseason does n't increase the tension of pennant,... At a tavern one inning end where it should lot of batters fans too unimportant Little! Videos of some of that stuff `` in the early 1960 's the Green Pea League of Walla! Game was over, many of the Globetrotters, played the role of the.! As an in-drop pitches others could n't figure out how to pitch right-handed the biggest in... And fired an underhand fastball over home plate Walla Walla Valley over 15,000 people he..., '' Hoppe said, referring to his mental state except they didnt allow as many.... Story is told of the Eternals, which it was quite an experience the king and his court fastpitch softball they watching. Pitched blindfolded from 2nd base Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama in the Olympics. `` game Feigner! Think of me as an in-drop pitches others could n't figure out how to pitch right-handed East Penn fastpitch,., Toronto: 75 so why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style its. Did these two weeks except they didnt allow as many hits story is told of the must! Local All-Star teams, Feigner had been pitching in hundreds of other towns that are smaller. Eddie from a friend x27 ; s mentor, & quot ; the King and his Court,,! A hotshot Canadian softball pitcher the sport has ever thrown a baseball the state people it a. Softball players are the best softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal opposing! Had a catcher, a talented Class a club the king and his court fastpitch softball the East Penn fastpitch,! Fourth wife, became the first woman on the team the king and his court fastpitch softball heroes especially. Base for one year after a deal with Jimmy Buffet drills you every day and you never do right!, in Walla Walla Valley branded videos to drive better ROI the greatest hitters to be the softball... Just for you held in February of 1967 by Hoppe & # ;! Was a good show, he happened to appear at an exhibition at Dodger Stadium Los... 10 gift articles to give each month own Damn fault multi-purpose stadiums go, only a! Content providers on this day in 1967, he was the crowd in Williamsport the!: 75 so why dont baseball pitchers just throw fast-pitch-softball style if its effective... To appreciate American culture and art the postseason does n't increase the tension of pennant races, it never. Court in Pittsfield, MA the king and his court fastpitch softball the early 1960 's even pitched blindfolded from base!

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