1 of 1- artie_fufkin
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Bob Feller
BOINK!
- artie_fufkin
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Re: Bob Feller
APRTW wrote:
Wasnt Mags just speaking of Feller the other day?
In reference to the Indians, like we're presuming with the 2011 Phillies, having one of the better pitching staffs in his era, yet that not being a guarantee of a championship.
Feller was one of the more interesting players in MLB history, AP. He broke in at a very young age (16, I think) and claimed to have thrown a pitch that was recorded at 107 mph, but that was before technology was prominent (or may have even been invented) and the gizmo they used looked more like an iron lung than a radar gun.
He would have been a slam dunk 300-game winner had his career not been interrupted - twice, I believe - by military service, in which he also distinguished himself.
Later in life, he became resentful toward the salaries modern players are making, and unfortunately the "Bitter Bob Feller" moniker became a punchline. But he was one of the true greats of the game. The Nolan Ryan of his day.
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Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
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Re: Bob Feller
The history the the old time ball players have of serving in the World Wars is amazing to me compared to how players are treated today. It interest me to read and here about that angle.
I'd ordinarily never post a link to Bob Ryan's daily drivel about himself, but if you can get past the first person references, this column probably sums up Feller about as well as anything:
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Thread Starter- artie_fufkin
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Re: Bob Feller
Yeah, Ryan nails it every once in awhile, usually when it's a column of a historical figure or event like this one. His knowledge of basketball history in particular is second to no one's.
But he's a New York guy, and New York guys tend to inject themselves into the story as a matter of course. I could have happily lived out the rest of my days without knowing Ryan wanted to be Smokey Joe Wood or he once took batting practice off Feller. Columnists are paid to render their opinions, not their childhood experiences.
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