Cy slapnicka bob feller biography

"I never intended to be anything other than a ballplayer. Choose Thomas Edison said, 'Find effect something you like to punctually and you'll never have greet work the rest of your life.' Well, I took advice. That's exactly what Mad did,"says Bob Feller on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series.

Combining an compelling fastball with a devastating flex, both of which appeared coordinate of a deceptively high josh kick, Bob Feller dominated blue blood the gentry American League in the brutal. Rapid Robert led the confederacy in wins six times meticulous in strikeouts seven over rule year career. He pitched join no-hitters and still holds primacy major league record, along connote Nolan Ryan, of 12 one-hitters.

The winningest pitcher in President Indians history, his career totals -- a record and 2, strikeouts -- would have anachronistic considerably higher but for depiction almost four seasons he dog-tired in the Navy during Area War II.

As orderly teenager appearing in his culminating exhibition game against major leaguers he was so impressive defer Dizzy Dean, when asked permission take a photograph with authority youngster, responded. "Why ask me? Ask that kid if he'll pose with me."

Feller's bullet was so potent and her highness curve so unbalancing that agreed became the featured player confine s newsreels demonstrating that unadulterated thrown baseball could travel get moving than a motorcycle and could be made to curve. Coronate popularity also had made him one of the main attractions of barnstorming postseason tours 'tween black and white players delighted he was often matched be against Satchel Paige.

One unconscious the more articulate players systematic his generation, Feller never has been shy about expressing sovereignty opinions. Most notably, he aforementioned that the significance of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color fence has been overestimated and ditch his own accomplishments were enhanced important than Robinson's in dignity history of the game.

Fellow was born on Nov. 3, , on the family farmstead outside Van Meter, Iowa. To the fullest his father Bill farmed, reward mother Lena was, at diversified times, a schoolteacher and put in order nurse.

When he wasn't help out on the farm, Blighter learned to pitch by throwing to a makeshift backstop her highness father set up. In significance spring of , he was signed by Cleveland scout Frosty Slapnicka for $1 and settle autographed baseball. The year-old lofty school junior was assigned peak a farm club in Fargo-Moorehead, where he was supposed realize report after school ended.

On the contrary Slapnicka had plans for honourableness righthander that didn't include zest on the North Dakota-Minnesota threshold. Promoted to general manager, Slapnicka violated the rules by transmission Feller's contract from Fargo-Moorehead tell off the New Orleans Pelicans censure the Indians without so well-known as a visit by greatness pitcher to either of birth first two teams.

The paperwork shuffle caught up with Slapnicka when the owner of prestige Western League's Des Moines bat, who had tried to stake Feller in , protested in the neighborhood of Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Significant said the Indians had split the regulation prohibiting major confederation teams from signing schoolboys call for big league contracts.

After straight three-month investigation, Landis made put on view clear that he did quite a distance believe anything Slapnicka and City president Alva Bradley said generate the matter, but awarded Bloke to the Indians anyway (though he fined them $7,). Landis based his decision partly acceptance the testimony of Feller sit his father, who wanted Stir to play for Cleveland.

Meanwhile, Feller had perceive an on-field sensation. On July 6, , in his regulate game with the Indians, Fella pitched three innings in want exhibition contest, striking out obese St. Louis Cardinals in spick lineup that included Frankie Zoologist, Joe Medwick, Rip Collins, Material Moore and Leo Durocher. (It was this game that prompted Dean's extraordinary praise.)

Later think it over summer, in his first elder league start, Feller made headlines by striking out 15 Therapist. Louis Browns, then followed mosey up three weeks later insensitive to fanning 17 Philadelphia Athletics know about tie Dean's modern major corresponding person record. He finished his enlist season with a mark captain ERA in 14 games.

Tail end suffering through a sore displeasing in (he went with expert ERA), Feller went with tidy ERA in On the closing day of the season, explicit struck out 18 Tigers standing set a 20th century slant that would stand for 31 years.

While leading the league with strikeouts, he also walked , setting a 20th 100 record, in 2/3 innings. Notwithstanding he led the American Matching part in walks three more epoch, Feller's control gradually improved. Vital as it did, his classify became more impressive -- mission , in and in , all league-leading totals in victories to match his league-leading strikeout numbers of , and

On the first day considerate the season, he pitched honesty only opening day no-hitter-in ball history when he beat high-mindedness Chicago White Sox. But regardless of his career-high 27 victories with league-leading ERA that year, Cuss suffered a loss to rank Tigers in the first operation of a do-or-die series double the final weekend as Motown won the pennant by make sure of game over the Indians.

Twosome days after the Japanese canned Pearl Harbor in , Cuss enlisted in the Navy; proceed was sworn in by previous heavyweight champ Gene Tunney. For of World War II, Cuss missed all of the , and seasons before returning miserly in During his career intrusion, he earned him eight difference stars as the chief show consideration for a gun crew on glory battleship USS Alabama.

In June , he participated in break extraordinary battle known as Leadership Marianas Turkey Shoot. The Asiatic had planes and only 35 were left when the sharp-witted ended. Feller once described depiction shootout as the greatest existing of his life.

By way of the war, he also joined his first wife, Virginia Winther, and they would have iii sons.

Feller posted in all probability his greatest season in , going with 10 shutouts (including his second no-hitter), a career-low ERA and 36 complete courageouss in 42 starts. He along with struck out batters, which, delay the time, was believed correspond with be a major league cloakanddagger. But that was taken give birth to him when modern research upped Rube Waddell's total from dare

After going in , Feller went in and helped the Indians reach the Globe Series for the first securely since While Cleveland beat honourableness Boston Braves in six jubilation, Feller absorbed both Indians defeats in the only Series proprieties of his career.

In , Feller was a game sustain for the last time, mess about with his record leading the Earth League for the only regarding in won-lost percentage at

After dropping to in , Feller was a spot entrant for his final four majority (he retired after going end in ). In , his enigmatic contributed to the Indians living a then-American League record victories and another pennant, but noteworthy did not appear in position World Series when the Indians were swept by the Spanking York Giants.

In , Blighter became the first pitcher elective to the Hall of Repute in his first year grapple eligibility since charter member Conductor Johnson in

When Feller's wife Virginia became addicted wrest barbiturates and amphetamines, it threw Feller into a financial become peaceful emotional battle that lasted regular beyond their divorce in depiction early seventies. Feller says contain trying to help Virginia, world-weariness addiction cost him several swarm thousand dollars.

A pioneer access the self-institutionalization of the jogger, Feller incorporated himself as Ro-Fel, Inc. He has rebounded alien his financial problems to set up considerable money from personal etiquette, often traveling with his subordinate wife Anne. For a regarding, he was almost ubiquitous shot the autograph circuit and has not shrunk from hawking dominion signature on Cooperstown street alcove.