Biography

Bob "Rapid Robert" Feller from Van Meter, Iowa was only sixteen when he struck out eight members of the St. Louis Cardinals in three innings of an exhibition stint. Bob came up as a seventeen year phenom and on August 25, 1936 proceeded to strike out fifteen batters in his first Major League start a 4-1 victory over the Browns. Later that season struck out seventeen Philadelphia Athletics. In 1938 Feller became a regular starter for the Indians winning seventeen games and leading the league in strikeouts fanning 240 batters. In 1938 Feller also set a major league record walking 208 batters. Though Bob Feller proceeded to lead the league in walks three more seasons, Feller's control was improving, enabling him to dominate hitters and lead the American League in both wins and strikeouts in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Bob's best season was 1940.That year he pitched a no-hitter on Opening Day against the White Sox and proceeded to completely dominate hitters the rest of the year. His totals that year were astounding--261 strikeouts, 27 wins, 320 innings, 37 starts and 31 complete games. Feller missed nearly four full seasons in his prime serving his country during World War II, for which he was decorated with five campaign ribbons studded with eight battle stars. Upon his return in 1946, Feller was better than ever, winning 26 games, striking out 348 batters and pitching his second no-hitter, this time against the Yankees. All told, Feller won 20 games six times, pitched 3 no-hitters and 12 one-hitters. Even though Feller's military career consumed four prime baseball years, Feller still won 266 games. Most baseball historians agree that Feller probably would have won 350 games with 3,500 strikeouts had his baseball career not been interrupted by World War II. One of the original ballplayer-businessman, Feller earned nearly as much money barnstorming and from endorsements as from pitching for the Cleveland Indians. In 1957, the Indians retired his number 19. In 1969, during professional baseball's centennial year celebration, Feller was voted baseball's greatest living right-handed pitcher. Bob Feller was elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1962.

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