RIP
Saw these guys at our high school 30 years ago.
Posted on 02/10/2007 6:48:51 AM PST by commish
Eddie Feigner, the hard-throwing softball showman who barnstormed for more than 50 years with his "The King and His Court" four-man team, died Friday. He was 81.
Feigner, the former Marine known for his trademark crewcut and bulging right arm, died in Huntsville, Ala., from a respiratory ailment related to dementia, wife Anne Marie Feigner said Friday night.
With a fastball once clocked at 104 mph, Feigner threw 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games and struck out 141,517 batters while playing more than 10,000 games. He was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 2000.
A stroke in 2000 -- a day after he threw out the first pitch before the women's softball competition in the Sydney Olympics -- ended his playing career at age 75. He left the team for medical reasons last summer and lived in Trenton, Tenn., for the last several years until recently moving to Huntsville. Knight said Feigner also suffered from dementia.
"Eddie Feigner was a genuine Jekyll and Hyde," Knight said. "On the field, a master showman, brilliant pitcher, creator of the most popular softball attraction in history. And off the field, one tough son of a gun. He was a former Marine, everything was by the numbers. He made millions and was generous to a fault. Some guys got fired three times in the same day and rehired in the next moment."
Feigner not only pitched from the standard mound, 46 feet from home plate, but also from second base, behind his back, on his knees, between his legs, from center field and blindfolded. In a nationally televised exhibition against major-leaguers at Dodger Stadium in 1964, he struck out Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson in order.
Feigner began "The King and His Court" in 1946 on a dare in his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash. He had just thrown a shutout in his nine-man team's rout of a team from Pendleton, Ore., and the Oregon team challenged him to another game. Backed by just a catcher, first baseman and shortstop, Feigner pitched a perfect game, winning 7-0.
At the height of Feigner's popularity, the team played at major-league ballparks, including Yankee Stadium, and Feigner appeared on numerous national television shows, including "The Today Show," "I've Got a Secret," "What's My Line?" and the "CBS Sports Spectacular." On the "Tonight Show," he pitched blindfolded to Johnny Carson, who loosely held a bat over a home plate. Feigner hit Carson's bat on his first pitch.
In addition to his wife, Feigner is survived by his son Eddie Jr., who played with the team for 25 years; daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services are pending.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
I saw The King and His Court at the Erie County Fair as a child, and was amazed at his ability. That one game made me fall in love with fast pitch softball and subsequently slo-pitch. A love affair that is now approaching 40 years -- although my playing time is very limited now, I mainly coach and sub in now and then.
RIP, King.
I remember seeing them on Wide World of Sports when I was a kid. I remember Eddie pitching from second base.
My dad played slow pitch softball for over 40 years. When he finally retired from the game at the age of 76, he was playing in an "over 40" league. Our local paper had a big write-up about him.
An inspiration to all of us beer-league players.
A true sport legend. He was amazing.
Yes, RIP Eddie! I saw The King and His Court at the old Silver Stadium (Rochester Red Wings). My softball glove that I'm still using today is "The Eddie Feigner Special". commish, I played Kodak Park Athletic Association (KPAA) softball when I was a kid (as with you, 40 years ago). The neighborhood I lived in didn't have Little League, so we'd organize our own teams and sign up and play in KPAA leagues. BTW, it was fast pitch! Eddie "The King" Feigner was my hero!
I agree. I thought it was Wide World of Sports I saw these guys on a long long time ago, but ti's not listed in the article. These guys were totally smoking full 9-player teams, and it looked as though they were doing it with ease.
Not fer nuthin', but
Hank Bauer, Steve Barber, and Lew Burdette, of major league BASEBALL died in the past week.
Fascinating. Thanks for posting.
Unlike the Harlem Globetrotters, who brought along their own patsy opponent, the teams that played the King really tried to win. I recall as a kid watching them rip apart a local fast pitch team that had finished third in the national tournament.
..Eddie Feigner was the greatest I ever saw...
Farewell to "The King".
Yeah, it comes 'atcha quick! It can be scary facing up against a good pitcher. When in the Air Force, I played for my unit in a base fast pitch league. The Security Police had two guys who could pitch in the high 90's. They'd kick our butts everytime we played them. Fast pitch softball is not a hitters game.
The navy SWOSCOLCOM team in Newport regularly kicked our butts the year we spent an extended summer in drydock. They had a master of the brush-back pitch. Good speed and painful accuracy!
RIP
Saw these guys at our high school 30 years ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.