Okla-homey
4/16/2008, 06:33 AM
April 16, 1940: Bob Feller throws no-hitter
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5995/febobfellersiof0.jpg
"Rapid Robert" Feller
68 years ago today on April 16, 1940, the Cleveland Indians’ Bob Feller pitches his first no-hitter. He went on to throw two more no-hitters in his career; only two other pitchers in baseball history have recorded more no-hitters.
Feller, who grew up playing catch with his father on his family’s farm at Van Meter, Iowa. He used to joke that shoveling manure and baling and hauling hay is what strengthened his arms and gave him the capacity to throw as hard as he did. Many attribute his blazing fastball to this. Feller made his major league debut at just 17 years old with the Cleveland Indians on July 19, 1936. His overpowering fastball quickly established him as a strikeout king.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/205/fe040020dixie20feller20nc9.jpg
Feller and the arm that could throw a breaking fast ball as fast as anyone who ever played the game.
In September of his rookie year, in a game against the Philadelphia Athletics, he struck out 17 batters. On October 2, 1938, in a game against the Detroit Tigers, the “Heater from Van Meter” (Feller was also nicknamed “Rapid Robert”) struck out 18 players and set a major league record for strikeouts in a single, nine-inning game.
On this day in 1940, Feller threw his first no-hitter, against the Chicago White Sox on opening day at Comiskey Park. The Indians won the game, 1-0. Feller’s no-hitter remains the only one to occur on any opening day in baseball history. He pitched a second no-hitter against the New York Yankees on April 30, 1946, and his third no-hitter came on July 1, 1951, in a game against the Detroit Tigers.
Nolan Ryan holds the record for most no-hitters, with seven. Sandy Koufax had four, while Cy Young and Larry Corcoran, along with Feller, recorded three in their pitching careers.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3342/febobfellergreatestphottv3.jpg
Feller and Cy Young
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor during World War II, Feller joined the Navy, the first big-leaguer to enlist in the armed forces. He spent the majority of his time aboard the battleship USS Alabama in the gunnery department before being discharged in 1945, after missing four seasons of baseball.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/2281/fei02847td2.jpg
Feller aboard USS Alabama during wartime service
Promptly after resuming his baseball career in 1946, Feller set a big league record for most strikeouts in a single season, with 348. It has been posited that but for his four year hiatus from the game for military service at the height of his power and career, he would hold all MLB pitching records.
After spending his entire career with the Indians, he retired from baseball in 1956, with 266 wins, 162 losses and a total of 2,581 strikeouts. He led the American League in strikeouts seven times and in wins six times. In addition to his three no-hitters, he recorded 12 one-hit games in his career. Feller was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1396/febobfellermuseumdu7.jpg
The folks in his hometown built Feller a museum.
Feller is currently the second oldest living Hall of Famer after Bobby Doerr among players. Lee MacPhail, who is in the Hall as an executive, is now the oldest living Hall of Famer. Feller and is also the senior living Hall of Famer in terms of date of induction (in 1962).
Always one to speak his mind, in 2007, in light of the Mitchell Report, documenting baseball players' usage of performance enhancing drugs, Feller chimed in saying that he believed that there ought to be a separate Hall of Fame for "drug losers.":D
Bob Feller Career Highlights
8-time American League All-Star
American League Pitching Triple Crown: 1940
Led the American League in wins: 1939 (24), 1940 (27), 1941 (25), 1946 (26), 1947 (20), 1951 (22)
Led the American League in strikeouts: 1938 (240), 1939 (246), 1940 (261), 1946 (348), 1947 (196), 1948 (164)
Led the American League in ERA: 1940 (2.61)
8-time All-Star (1938-41, 1946-48, 1950)
Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1962
In 1999, he ranked Number 36 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1002/fe749pxbobfellerca8.jpg
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5995/febobfellersiof0.jpg
"Rapid Robert" Feller
68 years ago today on April 16, 1940, the Cleveland Indians’ Bob Feller pitches his first no-hitter. He went on to throw two more no-hitters in his career; only two other pitchers in baseball history have recorded more no-hitters.
Feller, who grew up playing catch with his father on his family’s farm at Van Meter, Iowa. He used to joke that shoveling manure and baling and hauling hay is what strengthened his arms and gave him the capacity to throw as hard as he did. Many attribute his blazing fastball to this. Feller made his major league debut at just 17 years old with the Cleveland Indians on July 19, 1936. His overpowering fastball quickly established him as a strikeout king.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/205/fe040020dixie20feller20nc9.jpg
Feller and the arm that could throw a breaking fast ball as fast as anyone who ever played the game.
In September of his rookie year, in a game against the Philadelphia Athletics, he struck out 17 batters. On October 2, 1938, in a game against the Detroit Tigers, the “Heater from Van Meter” (Feller was also nicknamed “Rapid Robert”) struck out 18 players and set a major league record for strikeouts in a single, nine-inning game.
On this day in 1940, Feller threw his first no-hitter, against the Chicago White Sox on opening day at Comiskey Park. The Indians won the game, 1-0. Feller’s no-hitter remains the only one to occur on any opening day in baseball history. He pitched a second no-hitter against the New York Yankees on April 30, 1946, and his third no-hitter came on July 1, 1951, in a game against the Detroit Tigers.
Nolan Ryan holds the record for most no-hitters, with seven. Sandy Koufax had four, while Cy Young and Larry Corcoran, along with Feller, recorded three in their pitching careers.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3342/febobfellergreatestphottv3.jpg
Feller and Cy Young
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor during World War II, Feller joined the Navy, the first big-leaguer to enlist in the armed forces. He spent the majority of his time aboard the battleship USS Alabama in the gunnery department before being discharged in 1945, after missing four seasons of baseball.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/2281/fei02847td2.jpg
Feller aboard USS Alabama during wartime service
Promptly after resuming his baseball career in 1946, Feller set a big league record for most strikeouts in a single season, with 348. It has been posited that but for his four year hiatus from the game for military service at the height of his power and career, he would hold all MLB pitching records.
After spending his entire career with the Indians, he retired from baseball in 1956, with 266 wins, 162 losses and a total of 2,581 strikeouts. He led the American League in strikeouts seven times and in wins six times. In addition to his three no-hitters, he recorded 12 one-hit games in his career. Feller was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1396/febobfellermuseumdu7.jpg
The folks in his hometown built Feller a museum.
Feller is currently the second oldest living Hall of Famer after Bobby Doerr among players. Lee MacPhail, who is in the Hall as an executive, is now the oldest living Hall of Famer. Feller and is also the senior living Hall of Famer in terms of date of induction (in 1962).
Always one to speak his mind, in 2007, in light of the Mitchell Report, documenting baseball players' usage of performance enhancing drugs, Feller chimed in saying that he believed that there ought to be a separate Hall of Fame for "drug losers.":D
Bob Feller Career Highlights
8-time American League All-Star
American League Pitching Triple Crown: 1940
Led the American League in wins: 1939 (24), 1940 (27), 1941 (25), 1946 (26), 1947 (20), 1951 (22)
Led the American League in strikeouts: 1938 (240), 1939 (246), 1940 (261), 1946 (348), 1947 (196), 1948 (164)
Led the American League in ERA: 1940 (2.61)
8-time All-Star (1938-41, 1946-48, 1950)
Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1962
In 1999, he ranked Number 36 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1002/fe749pxbobfellerca8.jpg