SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you!. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. 3. You may also leave questions, or comments on our call in line 209-softbal. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. "I went to the other side," Hoppe said, referring to his mental state. They started their first cross-country tour. As the team ate and slept in their station wagon, they discovered something in El Paso, TX. ". This Space For Rent, Florida 73 Feigner struck out all six in order Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew. So do yourself a favor this weekend. Eddie Feigner was a crowd pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as the King and His Court. The last 100 games of the King and his Court. 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. And there were not enough bare-chested women, though there were a few of those, too. Also, they would occasionally be on Wide World of Sports. 6. 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! PNC Park, Pittsburgh: 98 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. Inductees have included Roberto Clemente, Jackie Robinson, Vin Scully, Satchel Paige, and others. 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. At the time, he was living in the Cogburn Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Alabama. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. This didn't stop them. I saw the King and his Court in Pittsfield, MA in the early 1960's. Anyone? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 19. information. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged. If you swing at the ball, youll strike out every time.. In international competition, the pitchers plate (or rubber, as baseball fans know it) is only 43 feet from home plate. All rights reserved (About Us). 13. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. And anyway, fast-pitch pitchers dont just throw fastballs. Please enable JavaScript to experience Vimeo in all of its glory. Adding teams to the postseason doesn't increase the tension of pennant races, it diminishes it. Your email address will not be published. Meanwhile, as ESPN colleague Doug Kern points out, the last four Rays home games drew just 61,897. VHS Tape, "How to Pitch Fast Pitch Softball Basic Styles With Eddie Feigner of The King and His Court" [autographed]. 11. "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. Distance, time, and uncertainty. By contrast, the typical American League game last year included 7.65 runs per seven innings. In softball, there are no famous hitters, only famous pitchers. She survives him, as do his son Eddie Jr.; his daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. CAMP ZAMA, Japan — The guest shook the strong, firm right hand, gazed into the ruddy face, stared for a moment at the graying, thinning trademark flattop crew cut. In nine games, the Americans allowed one run and 18 hits. 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. He was abandoned as an infant and was named Myrle King by his adoptive parents. 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). Eddie Feigner was a one-of-a-kind person who stood out among all those who played sports. He still signed free autograph after free autograph, as his players hustled programs. During one game, Feigner had easily beaten a team from Oregon 33-0. 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. That was the beauty of the team. But its usually not just Team USAs opponents who struggle to score. He was amazing. The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas: 77 We had 14,000 there that night," said Eddie Feigner, the legendary King of the barnstorming King and His Court fastpitch softball team. 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 . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. During the game, Eddie Feigner managed to strike out Maury Wills, Willie McCovey, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. "You don't care. 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. "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. Many of them were major league players. "YEAH, THAT'S why I'm gonna steal," retorts Booth, to the delight of the crowd. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. He threw an in-raise as well as an in-drop pitches others couldn't figure out how to throw. A baseball batter has no concept how to hit a fastball that rises like mine, or sliders and curves that break 18 inches.. It's your last chance to see a legend, and as the King would say, it's just down the road apiece. The Yankees rewarded the biggest star in the their history with a 30 percent paycut. Hoppe is a natural lefty who lost full use of the arm in Vietnam and taught himself how to pitch right-handed. 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? "I found a way out.". As the games rules were liberalized, the names for the pitches eventually changed. Rogers Centre, Toronto: 75 In 1981, there was a strike in Major League Baseball. the guest nearly shrieked. Granted, American softball players are the best in the world. Starbucks won't go to towns the Court does. How did he do it? I also fear Buck Showalter's head would probably explode if a player showed up looking like this. I was lucky enough to be invited to watch and film. He is a member of theBaseball Reliquary. Eddie Feigner in 1983. The Marlins will be hard-pressed to equal their two World Series championship at their new ballpark that opens next season. I never saw him and his court, but I can imagine it was quite an experience. ! 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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. Prooyen, a six-time national champion whom Feigner calls the "best pitcher at his age (25) today," later pitches an inning or two. "I got to be part of something where they watch you tie your shoelaces," Hoppe said of the attention the Court occasionally received. 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 couldn't be a showman and entertainer as well as an athlete if he played professional sports. Not bad for a fat man. 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. When joining the Marines during World War II, he had to find details of his birth. And that feeling has never left. 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. His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mphsome accounts had it clocked at 114 mph. He said: Im a pipsqueak because Im caught in a nothing game. People still want to see Williams bat, Palmer golf; there's the charisma there. 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. Become an Annual VIP member today and get access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more. 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. Sadly, I'm talking about the King and His Court, the barnstorming softball team started by the late Eddie Feigner some 65 years ago. "How did you remember that?" Barnstorming softball faded into the Americana of wooden roller coasters and hula hoops. Eddie Feigner was born on March 25, 1925, in Walla Walla, Washington. Busch Stadium, St. Louis: 78 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. (Theyre currently on a 79-game winning streak.) 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. "We can't compete with modern entertainment," Hoppe said. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets After the game was over, many of the players gathered at a tavern. Ted Williams was fond of saying that the toughest thing in sports is hitting a round ball with a round bat. SoftballJunk.com is a great resource to find the perfect fastpitch softball bat just for you! The softball team was very popular with audiences because they performed funny tricks that made the fans laugh. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. No town was too small for them, no fans too unimportant. 2. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. 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. Why? (Its worth noting, though, that pitchers dont dominate the game to the same extent in mens fast-pitch softball. Upon returning home after two years at war, Hoppe opened a bar in Bayonne and began attending night school. 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. That gave him season marks of .301, 34 home runs, 101 RBIs, a 1.023 OPS and a 1-0 record. Feigner knew he was the only one of his kind in the history of the world. To do more than one tour, you're certifiable," Hoppe said. 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. Which is why the King always had four players. A celebrity charity softball game was held in February of 1967. He just made me better," Hoppe said. It's always been my Yankee Stadium. Eddie Feigner, Hard-Throwing, Barnstorming Showman of Softball, Dies at 81, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/sports/othersports/13feigner.html. Coors Field, Denver: 87 Camden Yards, Baltimore: 92 Feigner played in over 5,000 games and struck out over 15,000 people when he was blindfolded. 1. Sports Illustrated once called Eddie Feigner one of the most underrated athletes of our time. HE HAS carried over the years more than 30 players at one time or another in his troupe, including three former major leaguers. $44.90. He made Nolan Ryan look like a Little Leaguer. The King and His court is an extremely entertaining show to go watch! 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. 10. I think I'll steal third. Its a little long, but great memories of a long gone era.. I saw the King and his Court in Jasper, Alabama in the early 1960s. The King and His Court got its start the way so many wonderful sagas begin -- in a bar. It would be really fun to watch videos of some of that stuff. This often happened on the nearest street. Wrigley Field, Chicago: 90 He was part of more than 56 foreign tours. 7. It took me years to talk about it," Hoppe said. You'll need it. Feigner, who at the end made a tiny fraction of the fabulous salaries of baseball players, never slowed down. 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. 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 changed my life, and he was the toughest guy I've ever been around. In those games, an average of 3.8 runs were scored per seven innings. Jeff, thanks. "It became my anchor," Hoppe said. Free 3 day shipping. 208 Softball Academy Podcast | Athlete Goals. Feigner developed athletic skills and abilities in ways nobody thought possible. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on April 25, 2018: What a beautiful story of a man who worked hard to perfect his game. "I told ASA (Amateur Softball Association) it was a great game at 43 feet — you just killed a great game. Men's fast-pitch softball has the King and His Court. 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. And the second is that pitchers can throw harder overhand, and real men like to throw the ball hard. I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always put on a good show, he said. I remember seeing them in commericals as a kid, pretty sure it was Bud or Lite Beer commericals. 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