| Birth: | Nov. 3, 1918
Van Meter
Dallas County
Iowa, USA | | Death: | Dec. 15, 2010
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA | 
Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. A legendary pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, he was felt by some to have had the fastest fastball ever. Born Robert William Andrew Feller, he was raised on an Iowa farm where he developed arm strength by milking cows and was taught to pitch by his father on a homemade ballfield. Spotted by scout Cy Slapnicka, he was signed to a contract and in 1936 joined the Indians without ever having played in the Minor Leagues; Feller struck out 17 batters in a game at age 17, graduated from high school after his rookie season, set a then-record with 18 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers in 1938, and pitched what at his death remained baseball's only opening day no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox in 1940. He joined the United States Navy following the Pearl Harbor attack and was to serve aboard the battleship "USS Alabama" as a Chief Petty Officer in the Pacific campaign until 1945. Returning to Cleveland in 1946, he won 26 games with 15 losses, achieving 10 shutouts that year. His Indians won the 1948 World Series (though he did not win a game in it), and he continued his career through 1956. An eight time All-Star selection, he retired with 266 wins and 162 losses, with three no-hitters, a record 12 one-hitters, 46 shutouts, 2,581 strikeouts, a 3.25 ERA, and a then-record 1,764 walks. Named to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1962, he lived in Cleveland while traveling widely as an unofficial "ambassador" for baseball. Feller remained active into his 90s, and was a supporter of the United States military to the end of his days; at his death from pneumonia complicated by acute leukemia his childhood home was in the National Register of Historic Places and Van Meter, Iowa, had a Bob Feller Museum which was designed by his architect son. (bio by: Bob Hufford)
Search Amazon for Bob Feller | | | Burial:
Gates Mills North Cemetery
Gates Mills
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Bob Hufford
Record added: Dec 16, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 62968869 |
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Thanks for the autograph when you visited my office years ago. You were one of the nicest guys I ever met and a legend in your time. Maybe the best pitcher in history and a WWII veteran.
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Lonestarguy
Added: Mar. 28, 2013 |
With Indians Spring Training underway in AZ, I was thinking of you today. I remember years ago during a trip to FL, I met you when the Indians trained in central FL. Thank you for all you did during and after your playing days. You made us proud!
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Dave Pfister
Added: Mar. 3, 2013 |
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Glen Hammel
Added: Feb. 7, 2013 |
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