By far my favorite read on Eddie Feigner is this portrait from the Washington Post by John Ed Bradley. Feigner often appeared on television, including The Today Show, Ive Got a Secret, Whats My Line? and CBS Sports Spectacular. On The Tonight Show, he knocked a cigar out of Johnny Carsons mouth throwing blindfolded. After practicing against inmates at the Washington State Penitentiary, he and his four-man team had their rematch. But thats not necessarily a bad thing. According to legend, Feigner was bragging up his skills one night when an opposing player challenged his abilities. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Try again later. This is our monthly cross-post from the Sports Stories newsletter. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Richard Jarfly Dugger was inducted into the USA Softball Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2006 and is a member of the Carter County Sports Hall of Fames inaugural class of 2012. Round it out afterward with a look at his website, where the keepers of his legacy are working to get a documentary made about him. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. A guy asked me if I ever pitched against Sinatra. : 86 The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. A day later, he had a stroke and never pitched again. Four men, remember. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. "We can't compete with modern entertainment," Hoppe said. Feigner claimed nearly 10,000 victories, 141,000 strikeouts and almost 1,000 no-hitters. ). Coors Field, Denver: 87 Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. You cant be negative with girls. They were called "The King and His Court." I dont holler at the girls if I have something to say; only me and her hear it, you dont embarrass a girl. Make sure that the file is a photo. He played on several of. When a local team did win, it was big news. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Nobody believes him, and he becomes increasingly paranoid before stealing a tank from a military base and using it to shoot down a satellite. Not long after Eddie Feigner experienced an emotional reunion with a mother who abandoned him at birth, he began pitching recreational softball in Walla Walla, WA. It must be fun facing a blindfolded pitcher from 45 feet who can fire the ball faster than 100 mph. Hoppe remembers playing in 100-degree heat in Tacoma, Wash., one day and in sub-zero cold the next day in Barrow, Alaska. He struck out Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente consecutively. cemeteries found in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Wrigley Field, Chicago: 90 For strikes? 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. Known all over the world, Jarfly still lives in Eastside; he still attends Eastside Baptist and this makes his 72nd year in attendance there. In the final game he collected 23 strikeouts. https://www.tempe.gov/government/city-court, Superior Court Maricopa County, Arizona, Parking garage is located across the street. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. He and his "court," which included only a catcher, first baseman, and shortstop, played everywhere from Yankee Stadium to the Great Wall of China, with countless military bases, rodeo arenas, and cow pastures in between. He once told The New York Times, Its a good feeling to know that I am the only one of my kind in the history of the world., He told Sports Illustrated, If I was this good in golf I could buy and sell Arnold Palmer. The River was filmed in the Holston Valley area of Church Hill, Tennessee. One thing I didnt mention above was that in 1967, Eddie pitched in the first ever MLB vs. Celebrity Softball Game. I was not a real hard thrower like him. Feigner and the Court arranged for a June 14, 1973 rematch with Pay n Pak at White Center Stadium. In 1946, after beating an Oregon team 33-0, he responded to a taunt by saying, "I would play you with only my catcher. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The one thing he could do well was throw. He sat on the bench for two years before he learned to throw a strike. Four years later, at the Olympics in Sydney, Feigner threw out the honorary first pitch before the first game of the womens softball tournament. The teams Feigner and his Court played routinely failed to cooperate with stunts and comedic interruptions. It played in Saudi Arabia, the jungles of Thailand and near the DMZ between North and South Korea. He appeared in all 50 states and in 98 foreign countries.In a 1967 exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, he faced a lineup of six major league baseball players. ", He was pitching on adult softball teams by the time he was 9. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. According to court records, Montrice Hughes withdrew his not-guilty plea and pleaded guilty to domestic . Feigner's meticulous records claim 9,743 victories, 141,517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games. When he returned home, the story of a legend began. After that, they got the idea that this could be bigger than a single game. Progressive Field, Cleveland: 82 But we get teams who dont care about the people in the stands, the show, the money or anything. I bet you it was over 100 mph Youd find the ball and the umpire had already called a strike.. I dont know how anybody ever hit the guy., You could never hit him, Roy Thurman told Pendletons East Oregonian. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. There was no way to get the bat off my shoulder before the ball got there. Feigner was abandoned as an infant in Walla Walla, Wash., and was named Myrle King by his adoptive parents. Therell never be another Eddie Feigner. Drag images here or select from your computer for Eddie Feigner memorial. Feigner retired to Trenton, TN., for several years and then relocated to Huntsville, AL, where he died Feb. 9, 2007, from a respiratory ailment related to dementia. They endured enough 30-hour rides between cities that Feigner referred to a 10-hour ride as "just down the road apiece. You can follow him on Twitter at jimcaple. My catcher told me if this is it, If this is really your last game, I want to see what youve got. Parking garage is located across the street. The fastest documented pitch thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 miles per hour.Pitching in hundreds of games each year against local all-star teams, he won 95 percent of the time. Jarfly doesnt remember all the girls he has worked with but its well over a hundred. The result was a challenge. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Failed to delete memorial. Eddie Feigner understood this. Box 18450 Phoenix, AZ 85005 (602) 2232222; Center for Missing & Exploited Children Quick search for missing children, sex offenders, Amber alerts, records and more public information. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:45am and 7:45am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:44pm. That gave him season marks of .301, 34 home runs, 101 RBIs, a 1.023 OPS and a 1-0 record. Carla Buckles Brown from Hampton went on to college and all these girls went on to college, Dugger said. He proceeds to strike out Willie Mays, Harmon Killebrew, Willie McCovey, Roberto Clemente, Maury Wills, and Brooks Robinson. Arnold Palmer! If he started the game, he finished it; there were no relief pitchers. I have to play with a four-man team. Meters are available, but there is no validation for these locations. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. He came up with the name Eddie from a friend. Since then, they've toured the globe, winning 10,000 games, visiting more than 100 countries and thousands of. Top Employment Background Checks . Yet Mr. Feigner had the misfortune to be supremely talented at a sport, men's fast-pitch fastball, that has all but disappeared. Feigner made two notable appearances in Seattle during the height of the Courts popularity, the first against Pay n Pak, the defending Pacific Northwest regional fast pitch champions, June 14, 1972 at Sicks Stadium. Overall 11-2; PCT.846; Conf 0-0; PCT.000; Streak W7; Only 63 stolen bnses age.inst him ln ten years. But despite their popularity, Feigner and his Court never made livable wages and, by 1950, found themselves at a crossroads: either abandon the show or take it national to see if that improved the bottom line. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, Washington, USA. The Quad Cities had gathered an All-Star team of fast pitch softball players and beat The King and Please try again later. Beating that crew in 1973 with just three other players was a feat. The second-year Sun Devil ran a 45.40 in the 400m final of the USATF Indoor Championships, claiming gold and shattering his own Arizona State program record he set less than 24 hours earlier. Try again. Ken laid down a bunt against Jarflys team in a game that broke up a no-hitter. The reunion turned around Mryle Kings life. If I had it to do over, I wouldnt have moved in with my real mother. Season Record. Because he had already been in starting lineup though, Oswalt went into the box score with this award-winning line: Oswalt started the next night and threw eight scoreless innings. I throw other pitches nobody can. The one thing he could do well was throw.He was pitching on adult softball teams by the time he was 9. A psychiatrist told me Id never straighten up until I found my mother. Information found on this website is strictly for informational purposes and does not entail legal or financial advice of any form. In a 1967 exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six Major League Baseball players (five of whom were later elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame). In Japan, Jarfly played softball for the United States of America. Track & Field "I've made more money at this than any other ballplayer at any other sport," he told The Washington Post in 1976. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. He was a hard-boiled egg. He just made me better," Hoppe said. While Feigner worked to conjure up what newspapers of the day described as gimmick games, he pitched seriously in a variety of mens leagues, including for the 1947 Skyroom Flyers in Seattles Double A League. "He threw a couple of pitches to Willie (Mays) from second base and got strikes on them. It was as Myrle Vernon King that he grew up playing sports, and as Myrle Vernon King that he served in the US Marine Corps. Undeterred, Feigner and the Court struck out for the South in a pair of station wagons, receiving a nasty surprise when they arrived in El Paso, TX. 1st hour is free, the court validates for an additional 2 hours. Hearing a woman and a child say, I love you is worth more than any number of those fickle fans who drop you in a moment., And this: If I ever bear down, the teams we play dont have a chance in hell. The King and His Court. During the 1981 major league strike, in front of 16,000 at the Silverdome in Pontiac, MI., Feigner and his Court beat a nine-man team that included several major league players. Once you make a girl cry, they are done. Oops, we were unable to send the email. 13. "Rage and obsession can make you do amazing things," he explained. In one of Feigners most popular, Globetrotter-style acts, he launched into a triple windup. People have swung three times trying to hit that slow change up pitch. He was Philly's scheduled starter Friday night but there was such a lengthy rain delay between when he warmed up and when the Phillies finally took the field that manager Charlie Manuel decided it was better to skip him for the night. In a 1964 exhibition at Dodger Stadium, Feigner faced a lineup of six major league players, five of whom were later elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. AT&T Park, San Francisco: 94 You understand and agree that full search reports will only be available after you register for an account or purchase a report. 21. Id play you with two, but youd walk us both.. Clad in red, white and blue uniforms, the team consisted of a catcher, a first baseman, a shortstop and one nonpareil pitcher, Feigner. I think I broke her heart.. The very week he met his mother, he changed his name to Eddie Feigner Eddie in honor of an orphan named Eddie Colts, who had been one of Eddies best friends until he died in a knife fight and Naomi Feigner. Program was taped in 2005.#EddieFeigner #KingandhisCourt #Softball #ProSoftballLearn more about him here- http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/ I loved Mrs. King, but I was so sick of life as her son. He couldn't remember if Feigner used another standard part of his routine, pitching while blindfolded, as he did when he knocked a cigar from Johnny Carson's mouth on TV. Feigner, who died recently from a respiratory ailment related to dementia at the age of 81, struck out 141,517 batters in his barnstorming career. Feigner added two more players: enough that even with the bases loaded, his team would always have somebody available to bat. Feigner was a legitimately spectacular pitcher. Sports Illustrated once called him "the most underrated athlete of his time. Feigner kept meticulous records, documenting 9,743 wins, 141,517 strikeouts, 930 no-hitters, 238 perfect games and 1,500-plus shutouts in more than 10,000 games staggering numbers that he achieved with 19 windups, 14 types of deliveries and five speeds. iPads for hearing impaired individuals. 18. Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators . Great subject, great research. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Not bad for a fat man. For the next few years, Feigner continued to barnstorm with His Court, serving as an emcee. He previously worked for publications in Washington, New York, North Carolina and Florida. Eddie Feigner was born on March 25, 1925, in Walla Walla, Washington. Legend has it that after somebody questioned his pitching ability, he said I would play you with only my catcher, but you would walk us both.. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Brought a grin and nod to my morning. Still, Feigner pleased fans and baffled batters everywhere. Feigner was adopted at birth and given the name Myrle Vernon King. It's unfair to compare his Ks with the 5,714 of baseball's record holder, Nolan Ryan, because the sports are so different; suffice it to say that the King, even more often than the Express, was usually unhittable. "His opponents took up the challenge, allowing him to add a shortstop and first baseman. The King and His Court barnstormed for 55 years, Feigner ultimately achieving fame as the greatest softball pitcher who ever lived. One of the newspaper boys said it best many years ago. He was something to behold., Youd be waiting for that fastball, then hed throw a change-up, Manning said. He WAS a true phenomenonhed tell you himself. Eddie Feigner was born March 25, 1925 in Walla Walla, soon became separated from his unwed mother, and was adopted by a woman named Mary King, who had already raised four sons after her husband deserted her during the Great Depression. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay: 68. 2. Bradley is one of my favorite (relatively unsung) magazine writers and also the author of a great memoir about his days playing football at Louisiana State University called It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium. Anyway, here he is describing Feigner in 1983: Then go ahead and read Feigners New York Times obituary. The state of South Carolina inducted him into its sports Hall of Fame, because he beat its teams so many times. He was thrown out of school in his teens and joined the Marine Corps during World War II but was discharged after a nervous breakdown. 4. The town, of course, opts for the dingers. This place hasn't exactly been as enticing as Margatitaville but it isn't that terrible either, especially as multi-purpose stadiums go. Sun Devil Hall of Fame & Hall of Distinction, Sun Devils Qualify 3 Events for NCAA Indoor Championships, Jackie Johnson Enters Pac-12 Hall of Honor, Track and Field Ready for Final Indoor Meet, 5 Sun Devils Competing in USATF Indoor Championships, Track & Field Records Fall in Fayetteville. He even pitched from his knees. Will Edmonds, Track & Field Cherokee Park in Elizabethton was the home of fast pitch softball. Feigner not only threw more than 1,000 doubleheaders, he tossed more than 200 tripleheaders. Try again later. The official 2023 Softball schedule for the Arizona State University Sun Devils. To give his opponents a chance, he often pitched from second base or, on occasion, from center field. Notice: Your use of CourtCaseFinder.com is conditioned on your full compliance with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Roberto Clemente, Maury Wills, and was named Myrle King by his parents... A change-up, Manning said Stories newsletter faster than 100 mph Youd find the ball faster 100. Fast-Pitch fastball, then hed throw a strike the Today Show, Ive got a Secret, my. Occasion, from Center Field my catcher told me Id never straighten up until I found my...., Feigner ultimately achieving fame as the greatest softball pitcher who ever lived well over a hundred in. Eddie from a friend complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person gave him marks! 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