Bob Feller

Bob Feller

Robert William Andrew "Bob" Feller (November 3, 1918 – December 15, 2010), nicknamed "The Heater from Van Meter," "Bullet Bob," and "Rapid Robert," was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Cleveland Indians from 1936–1956.

Feller was a prodigy who bypassed the minor leagues and entered the major leagues at the age of 17. During the 1937 season, the teenage Feller appeared on the cover of Time. Feller played 18 seasons, all with the Indians, his career interrupted by four years of military service during World War II. A Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, Feller served aboard the USS Alabama. He became the first pitcher to win at least 20 games in a season before the age of 21. During his career he threw three no-hitters, the first coming in 1940, the second in 1946, and the final one in 1951. Feller also recorded 12 one-hitters (his no-hitters and one-hitters were records at the time of his retirement). He helped the Indians to a World Series title in 1948 and in 1954 an American League-record 111 wins and the pennant. He led the American League in wins six times and strikeouts in seven seasons. In 1946, Feller recorded 348 strikeouts on the season, a total not bettered for 27 years until 1973. Feller, an eight-time All-Star, was in 1999 ranked 36th on Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players and also the publication's "greatest pitcher of his time" as well as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Ted Williams called Feller "the fastest and best pitcher I ever saw during my career...He had the best fastball and curve I've ever seen." Stan Musial believed he was "probably the greatest pitcher of our era." He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 on his first ballot appearance. At the time of his induction only Ty Cobb (98.2%), Babe Ruth (95.1%), and Honus Wagner (95.1%) had a higher percentage of ballot votes. As of 2012 his 93.75% ballot percentage was 17th all-time. He was elected the inaugural President of the Major League Baseball Players' Association and participated in barnstorming exhibition games which featured players from both the Major and Negro Leagues. Feller, who died at the age of 92, was was described by Tom Hamilton: "You don't got to Yankee Stadium and see Yogi Berra at the games, or when they were alive, Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle. They'd come back for Old Timers Games. Bob was there because it was baseball, and because it was the Cleveland Indians."