Morrow's Musings
- By Jeff Morrow
509-582-1507
Posted Sept. 17, 1999
King & His Court make farewell pitch
By Jeff Morrow
Herald sports editor
Richland's Jim Jones remembers the two times he beat Eddie Feigner when the two fastpitch softball pitchers went head-to-head.
"I beat him once in 1948, then beat him once in 1949," Jones said.
Other than that, it was all Feigner, who is known worldwide as the leader of the traveling King and His Court.
Now 74, Feigner is barnstorming around North America in what is dubbed a farewell tour for the Walla Walla native, who now lives in San Diego.
The tour should end next June in Orlando, Fla., to coincide with the Summer Olympics, but it wouldn't be a true tour without a stop in the Tri-Cities.
Fans can see Feigner pitch one last time at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Posse Stadium. Tickets are available at all area Albertson's stores or at the stadium on Saturday.
Feigner once was clocked at pitching the ball at 114 mph, and even now he can get it across the plate at 84 mph.
However, a stroke he suffered in 1998 and the rigors of travel and time have slowed him down. He usually pitches just the first and last innings of the five-inning exhibitions.
Still, what he has accomplished, the statistics Feigner has produced are incredible:
- 3.5 million miles logged
- 132,070 strikeouts
- more than 10,000 games pitched
- 238 perfect games
- 1,916 shutouts
- 930 no-hitters
- 8,270 victories
Then, there was the time in 1967 when Feigner struck out Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente, in succession. The stats are mind-numbing for something that started as a dare in 1946, when Feigner and his team were playing a game in Pendleton.
Feigner's team won, but he took a few barbs from the opponents.
Feigner finally said, "I would play you with only my catcher, but you would walk us both."
The other team's manager said Feigner also could bring his shortstop and first baseman, and that was how the King and His Court was born.
Tri-City softball fans, however, also remember Feigner pitching during the heyday of fastpitch softball for J.A. Terteling Construction in Richland.
They were akin to mercenaries.
"They worked for Terteling, but they didn't get docked for missing work, if you know what I mean," Jones said.
Feigner pitched for Terteling in both 1948 and 1949, leading the Richland team to the state championship both years.
After the '49 season, Terteling dropped out as sponsor, and Feigner and his court returned to barnstorming.
Feigner and his court played on a few nine-man teams during the next few years in other parts of the country, earning All-America status before they were banned from all Amateur Softball Association competition - basically for dominating.
Many of Feigner's Tri-City friends and old competitors plan on being there Saturday night to see the King's final pitching performance in the area.
Jones will be there.
Jones, in fact, will be pitching against him.
"I plan on ending my 51 years of playing against Eddie Feigner on Saturday night," he said.
- Sports editor Jeff Morrow can be reached at 582-1507 or via e-mail at jmorrow@tri-cityherald.com
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