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Now Pitching, Bob Feller

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Bob Feller was a sensation from the time that he signed by the Cleveland Indians to leave the family farm in Van Meter, Iowa to report directly to the big leagues as a teenager. When he completed his high school education by taking correspondence classes and returned home to take part in commencement exercises, Feller was accompanied by newsreel cameramen. His graduation was national news.

Feller was one of the fastest pitchers in baseball history. He routinely lead the American League in strike outs, but also suffered from wildness when he could not locate his 100 m.p.h. fastball. Nevertheless, he topped the league in wins six times. He recorded three no hit games.

His noteworthy career was interrupted by World War II (Feller served four years in the Navy) and he had the misfortune to play for a succession of poor teams in Cleveland before the Tribe became a contending ballclub. As such, Feller was unable to reach 300 career wins. He came close, but missed the mark by missed the mark by thirty-four wins. Unquestionably, he would have reached that mark, but for the war.

He was a perennial All Star and played on two pennant winners and one World Championship team. One of his key regrets was that he did not record a win in World Series play: He was 0-2 in the 1948 series, including one especially tough loss to Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves (a 2-1 decision highlighted by a disputed call on a pickoff attempt); in 1954, Feller never pitched an inning as the Indians were swept in four straight by the New York Giants.

Feller is a blunt and unapologetic individual. He has made more than a few controversial remarks when commenting upon baseball related subjects. He is one of the most talented pitchers to have played baseball and he knows it. Readers may find this somewhat off putting as Feller can come across as arrogant, immodest and extremely opinionated. In my case, the narrative tone employed throughout the book detracted from my enjoyment of Feller's autobiography. As the axiom goes, it takes nine men make a team.

This biography comes straight from the heart of the man some say was the hardest thrower to ever take the mound in the big leagues. Bob Feller tells his story beginning with his upbringing on a farm in Van Meter, Iowa, where his father spent hours coaching and nuturing him. Imagine pitching in the big leagues for the Cleveland Indians at age 17 (in 1936) and then returning home to finish your senior year of high school. Readers learn a lot about baseball just before and after World War II, stars like Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth (who retired shortly before Feller arrived), etc., and the pscyhology of pitching. Feller also describes his naval service during the war, and barnstorming against Satchell Paige and other Negro Leguers. As many know, Feller's big baseball disappointment was that he never won a World Series game. He describes losing that 1-0 Series heartbreaker against Johnny Sain in 1948, plus not appearing in 1954 due to Cleveland being swept by an underdog NY Giants team. Readers also read about Feller's career as his arm began to wear out, his later life in sports promotion, etc.

I wish Feller had spoken more about the old ballparks (particularly League Park), and been a touch less strident in his opinions on certain issues. Also, as Feller, Paige, Warren Spahn, and a few others threw a ton of innings without injury, one wonders if we could scientifically demonstrate how they did it and how others can do likewise. Not a perfect book, but this down-to-earth 1990 memoir is worth a look.