Evening star., 1937-03-07
A 17.year.oId schooIboy broke
the American League strke-out
record last summer - and now
many are saying that Bob FeIIer will
be the greatest pitcher of all time.
Here's the story of basebaIrs kid star
by O. K. Armstrong

III TRIKE three! Yuh're OUT" sang
the umpire. And one more batter
walked back to the dugout cast
~ ing wondering eyes at the tall,
gangling kid out in the pitcher box who was
moving them down one-two-three.
Bob Feller, the kid was Seventeen years
old Pitching his first entire major-league base
ball game. wearing the uniform of the Cleve-
land Indians, battling the Browns from St.
Louis
Calmly, consistently. this rookie from the
comfelds of Iowa sent over his fast ball that
looked like a white streak, his curve ball that
broke over the plate like rabbit turning
sudden corner, his in-shoots and out t-shoots
and every other device to battle the bewildered
batters.
When the game ended, Bob Feller had
struck out fifteen batters. The fans set up
big cheer. Bobs teammates crowded around
him and slapped him on the back.
boy - you were plenty good! Did you
know you needed just one more to tie the
American League record for strike-outs?"
Bob Feller looked surprised and puzzled.
He could see nothing unusual about his per-
formance.
Il did better than that back in Iowar'
That was last August q. Manager Steve
O'Neill of the Indians had ordered Bob to
report to the club in July, and had tried out
the youthful pitcher an inning or two in sew
eral games. Always Bob had pitched steady,
big-league ball. But kid seventeen years old!
1t just didn't seem wise to send him out there
to get stage fright or something and be
knocked all over the lot.
After that ST. Louis game O'Neill asked
him: Were you afraid of 'em. kidd"
Bob grinned. They didn't hit me. did
they?" he countered.
Had the manager been able to believe his
eyes the first time he let Bob Feller pitch
three innings in an exhibition game with the
ST. Louis Cardinals on July G, he wouldn't
have been so cautious. Bob walked out and
faced that tough Gas House Gang as calmly
as though he were back at the Van Meter,
Iowa, high school grounds playing another
kid team. He blazed 'em over the plate to fan
eight of the best Cardinal batsmen, including
hard hitting Durocher and murderous Pepper
Martin. The Cards found him for only three
hits and one run in the three innings.
The pop-eyed sports writers rushed up
after the game to get a look at the kid, just in
time to hear an unusual thing in front of the
Cardinal dugout - a testimonial meeting.
The kids got plenty of stuff" said Dizzy
(HimselG Dean, who ought to know.
He knows how to pitch couldn't find
his curve ball at ALL chimed in Pepper
Martin. And so on and on.
Yes, Bob used to do better than that out
in Iowa. After his triumphal finish of the
season last fall, he went back to the farm.
Van Meter is town of only about 400 people,
but it threw big welcome party for the rookie
who had crashed the big league; there were
10000 Iowans there including the Governor!
The photographers rushed Bob out to the
farm to get some pictures of him in his native
setting Bob was too embarrassed to know
what to say to them. Finally he disappeared
through the kitchen door, to emerge with his
mothers cookie jar Won't you fellows have
some cookies?" he asked.