H. Con. Res. 449
Agreed to September 11, 2006
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and six 
Concurrent Resolution
Whereas Robert William Andrew Feller was born on November 
3, 1918, near Van Meter, Iowa, and resides in Gates Mills, Ohio;
Whereas Bob Feller enlisted in the Navy 2 days after the attack 
on Pearl Harbor in 1941;
Whereas, at the time of his enlistment, Bob Feller was at the 
peak of his baseball career, as he had been signed to the Cleveland 
Indians at the age of 16, had struck out 15 batters in his first 
Major League Baseball start in August 1936, and established 
a Major League record by striking out 18 Detroit Tigers in a 
single, 9-inning game;
Whereas Bob Feller is the first pitcher in modern Major League 
Baseball history to win 20 or more games before the age of 
21;
Whereas Bob Feller pitched the only opening day no-hitter in Major 
League Baseball history;
Whereas, on April 16, 1940, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Bob 
Feller threw his first no-hitter and began the season for which 
he was awarded Major League Baseball Player of the Year;
Whereas Bob Feller served with valor in the Navy for nearly 4 
years, missing almost 4 full baseball seasons;
Whereas Bob Feller was stationed mostly aboard the U.S.S. Ala-
bama as a gunnery specialist, where he kept his pitching arm 
in shape by tossing a ball on the deck of that ship;
Whereas Bob Feller earned 8 battle stars and was discharged 
in late 1945, and was able to pitch 9 games at the end of 
that season, compiling a record of 5 wins and 3 losses;
Whereas 60 years ago, amid great speculation that, after nearly 
4 seasons away from baseball, his best pitching days were behind 
him, Bob Feller had 1 of the most amazing seasons in baseball 
history;
Whereas, in the 1946 season, Bob Feller pitched 36 complete games 
in 42 starts;
Whereas, on April 30, 1946, in a game against the New York 
Yankees, Bob Feller pitched his second career no-hitter;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller pitched in relief 6 times, saving 
4 games;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller routinely threw between 125 and 
140 pitches a game, a feat not often seen today;
H. Con. Res. 449—2
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller pitched 3711⁄3 innings and had 348 
strikeouts;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller had an earned run average of 2.18;
Whereas, in 1946, a fastball thrown by Bob Feller was clocked 
at 109 mph;
Whereas Bob Feller was the winning pitcher in the 1946 All Star 
Game, throwing 3 scoreless innings in a 12–0 victory by the 
American League;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller led the American League in wins, 
shutouts, strikeouts, games pitched, and innings;
Whereas the baseball career of Bob Feller ended in 1956, but 
not before pitching his third no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers 
on July 1, 1951, pitching 12 1-hit games, amassing 266 victories 
and 2,581 strikeouts, and leading the league in strikeouts 7 
times;
Whereas Bob Feller was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame 
in 1962; and
Whereas Bob Feller, a beloved baseball figure known as ‘‘Bullet 
Bob’’ and ‘‘Rapid Robert,’’ placed service to his country ahead 
of playing the game he loved and is a decorated war veteran: 
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), That the Congress commemorates the 60th anniversary of 
the 1946 season of Bob Feller and his return from military service 
to the United States. 
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.