The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! gary leland. In 1972, Sports Illustrated called Feigner, who pitched 238 perfect games, the most underrated athlete of his time. "Hey Eddie," calls Booth after reaching second on a double. This often happened on the nearest street. Yes, he faced the Cubs. <p> </p> <p>A few weeks ago the King And His Court came to the Dallas Area. Feel free to use this content, so long as you give credit to Gary Leland, of Fastpitch.TV and link to Fastpitch.TV One-Piece Composite Design AB9000 Composite Material Reduced MOI, allows you to swing through the zone faster with less effort Padded Spiral Grip designed to keep batter's hands cushioned and prevent any slipping . 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. 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. As the team ate and slept in their station wagon, they discovered something in El Paso, TX. 1951 The King and His Court Softball Program. 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. Later that night, Hoppe saw two children blown up right in front of him during a Viet Cong raid. In the 1905 World Series, New York Giants legend Christy Mathewson tossed three shutouts, allowing only 14 hits in 27 innings. I was about 10 years old, and they asked me to be bat boy. 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? 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. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! It would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. 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. His team, clad in red, white and blue uniforms modeled after those of the Globetrotters, played in ever-smaller parks. 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. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. He stands blindfolded, some 40 feet from home plate, gleefully hurling pitch after pitch at weary batters as fans in Linden's Memorial Park cheer on the peculiar feat. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. It's absolutely like your life is flashing in front of you," Hoppe said. We are at game number 30.. in Deland Florida tonight. ", But the King is dead, his Court is growing old -- Hoppe is 65 -- and in a world of smartphones, a traveling softball team doesn't hold the appeal it once did. Will King and His Court die when he retires? Insulted, Feigner bet the guy he could beat his team with just four players -- himself, a catcher, a first baseman and an infielder. It played in Saudi Arabia, the jungles of Thailand and near the DMZ between North and South Korea. Someone like Feigner who can throw a softball 100mph with accuracy is going to strike out a lot of batters. 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. And there were not enough bare-chested women, though there were a few of those, too. "Rage and obsession can make you do amazing things," he explained. Drafted into the Army and sent to Vietnam in 1966, on his 13th day at war the 19-year-old Hoppe witnessed three fellow soldiers get decapitated by a mine. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. This is an organization dedicated to promoting baseball as a way to appreciate American culture and art. Eddie Feigner passed away on February 9, 2007, from complications associated with dementia. Feigner was able to play an exhibition game in front of more than 15,500 fans at the Silverdome located in Pontiac, Michigan. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. Eddie had a catcher, a !B and a SS. Target Field, Minneapolis: 91 Eddie Feigner was still anxious to play. Nice guys, huh? Coors Field, Denver: 87 He was like a drill sergeant who drills you every day and you never do anything right.". This is a story on sports legend Eddie Feigner" a.k.a. Call Us: (860) 961-3482 . For softball training videos, training aids, softball equipment, or softball bats visit softballjunk.com/. It was incredible. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. Founded in 1946 by Hoppe's mentor, "The King" Eddie Feigner, the. Eddie Feigner is a member of Shrine of the Eternals, which is part of the Baseball Reliquary. 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. The King and His Court It all began in 1946. He hopes to inspire all of those who have battled addiction and felt trapped within their own lives. All their efforts only got them a few replies. Not bad for a fat man. Feigner agreed, and the only stipulation was that Feigner needed four players to bat in case the bases were loaded. 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. Marshall, thanks for sharing! Williams was right, just not as precise as he could have been. Sem a necessidade de instalar ou se inscrever 209 Softball Academy Podcast | Hitting Philosophy. Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the New York Yankees. He even pitched blindfolded from second base for one inning. His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it clocked at 114 mph. Gary leland is a new media producer of fastpitch softball. Five of the six were later elected to Cooperstown. I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. ", 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. 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. I Can See The Steam Spouting From the Steinbrenners' Ears From Here: You want a meaningful race between the Yankees and Red Sox? Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. Miller Park, Milwaukee 77 The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. 194 Softball Trivia Podcast | King and His Court Original Pitcher On February 18, 1967, Feigner appeared in a celebrity charity softball game against manyMajor Leagueplayers.in which, Feigner retired from pitching after suffering astrokein 2000 but continued to tour with his team, acting asemceeand telling stories while the team played. Hoppe remembers playing in 100-degree heat in Tacoma, Wash., one day and in sub-zero cold the next day in Barrow, Alaska. This episodes trivia question is a simple one, so now its time to play! When joining the Marines during World War II, he had to find details of his birth. Yet, "It's like Bob Feller said: `I can still throw as hard as I ever did. 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. the guest nearly shrieked. 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. He is buried in the Huntsville Memory Gardens. You get to touch people and leave them with a message.". Of course, the Stones never played my hometown or the hundreds of other towns that are even smaller. 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. 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). All rights reserved. Build a site and generate income from purchases, subscriptions, and courses. He and his Court were able to defeat a team with nine players. "It's surreal. Log in, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Any organization they thought would sponsor a softball game got a letter from them. "We show off how good we are, but don't flaunt it or embarrass the home team," he said. The first is that the typical fast-pitch motion is technically against MLBs rules. A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals considered signing a hotshot Canadian softball pitcher before realizing that his style was illegal. One time he was even able to strike a person out from centerfield. They started their first cross-country tour. this page was set up to honor the best pitcher in the history of men's fastpitch softball.Eddie was the "King" in his own right.With a list of achievements that will never be topped.In his. 1. "Now every pitcher has to be a big, strong pitcher. 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. The greatest team that ever stepped onto a diamond is playing its last game this weekend. Yankee Stadium, New York: 79 He pitched for Kilburg's Grocery store. This Space For Rent, Florida 73 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. Thus, is Feigner, with a year or two left in his own career, the last of the great fastpitch showmen? But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. from around the world. 7. He is Rich Hoppe -- Bayonne native and pitcher for the King and His Court, the iconic four-man barnstorming softball team. "I know what I am, a recovering addict," he said. The four players of the King and His Court easily beat the nine-player prison team 7-0. 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. The decline of fastpitch, Feigner says, began shortly after he left the service. Feigner, catcher Gary West, first baseman Dave Booth and shortstop Gary Van Prooyen mug it up with true zest. "I had lost any courage to do anything. Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. Their popularity kept growing. He was a hard-boiled egg. He is a member of theBaseball Reliquary. He would be able to pitch against some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball. Many of them were major league players. "How did you remember that?" I can only imagine he was something to have watched. The players Feigner chose for his team were people he'd known since fourth grade. She survives him, as do his son Eddie Jr.; his daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The rottenest thing to happen to softball was moving back the mound from 43 to 46 feet" in 1949, Feigner said, adding it was done because a few pitchers tended to dominate batters from the closer distance. He took her last name and the name Eddie from a friend. I think I'll steal third. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "I don't know who'll play Eddie Feigner," he said. And the second is that pitchers can throw harder overhand, and real men like to throw the ball hard. Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six major leaguers (5 of whom were later inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame). 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. "It became my anchor," Hoppe said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. To do more than one tour, you're certifiable," Hoppe said. Don't add another wild card and a hokey one-game playoff -- just eliminate the wild card. 2. Feigner had been pitching in the Green Pea League of Walla Walla Valley. Feigner knew he was the only one of his kind in the history of the world. They wore patriotic-looking uniforms and blended vaudeville bits into their ballgames. Feigner swore the tale was true, except that it was a curveball that crossed second base on its way to the plate. I saw the King and his Court in Pittsfield, MA in the early 1960's. We're going to go up to the birthplace and bring it on home.". 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