Bob Feller dead at 92

[yisman]

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/15/bob-feller-1918-2010/

Keith Murphy of WHO in Des Moines passes along word that Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller has died at the age of 92 in a Cleveland hospice.
Feller was hospitalized with pneumonia a few weeks ago and previously fought a battle against leukemia.
Born November 3, 1918 in Van Meter Iowa, he went on to win 266 games over 18 big league seasons and retired after 1956 with a sparkling 3.25 career ERA and 2,581 strikeouts.
Feller struck out 348 batters and turned in a 2.18 ERA over 371.1 innings in 1946, his finest season.
But it was in 1941 that he made his biggest splash. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Feller became the first Major League Baseball player to enlist in the armed forces, joining the NAVY and serving as a gun captain on the USS Alabama during what might have been the prime of his baseball career. He served four years.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Guy was a patriot and tough as nails...but in his later years he was one bitter dude. I can remember him bitching about salaries and mentioning that the only way he would sign autographs is if someone paid him. The last ten years or so the dude was whoring himself to card shows and anywhere else he could make a buck.

[yisman]

A legend and an American hero. I begrudge him nothing.

[ProfaneReality]

RIP Bob

[Terrapin Station]

Sad day...RIP

[jrmartin.mig]

RIP, I met him 4-5 times like 15 years ago. Amazing man and a legend

[zam77]

Guy was a patriot and tough as nails...but in his later years he was one bitter dude. I can remember him bitching about salaries and mentioning that the only way he would sign autographs is if someone paid him. The last ten years or so the dude was whoring himself to card shows and anywhere else he could make a buck.

My old man saw him at a golf course and asked him for an autograph for me when i was a kid. Bob told my dad that it was something like $10 or $20 to get an autograph. Dude was always trying to make coin.

[EaglesPhan36]

I saw him at Spring Training back in the 90s. Kinda cool to know you saw a living legend.

[pronk]

The legendary Bob Feller will always be remembered as one of the best. He was loyal clevelander 'til the end.
R.I.P. Bobby

[Willie Bee]

Sad news, great player and great man.

Can't believe people are bitching about him charging for autographs, find that to be even sadder than a 92-year-old legend and war veteran passing away.

[BRAVES1985]

RIP

[thisisit]

go to espncleveland for some great war stories about Bob, classic stuff RIP MR. FELLER

[zam77]

Sad news, great player and great man.

Can't believe people are bitching about him charging for autographs, find that to be even sadder than a 92-year-old legend and war veteran passing away.

not bitching at all. just sharing a memory and a thought. i couldn't care less. good ball player, great long life... rip

[jollyoscars]

RIP, such a stud

[Willie Bee]

go to espncleveland for some great war stories about Bob, classic stuff RIP MR. FELLER

I've read some of those before. There are some good tales regarding Ted Williams' two stints of military service as well. Can you imagine what Williams' numbers might be had he played 1943-45 when he was in his mid-20s? Lots of players in the 60s had their careers interrupted for reserve service. Can you imagine telling some high school phenom that he's going to have to miss a year's worth of paychecks in any of the sports today because they have to at least serve in the reserves?

[Chris7mccabe]

I've read some of those before. There are some good tales regarding Ted Williams' two stints of military service as well. Can you imagine what Williams' numbers might be had he played 1943-45 when he was in his mid-20s? Lots of players in the 60s had their careers interrupted for reserve service. Can you imagine telling some high school phenom that he's going to have to miss a year's worth of paychecks in any of the sports today because they have to at least serve in the reserves?

Ya man that is crazy, just shows how different the world we live in today really is

[TobiasFunke]

There was always a common misconception about Feller being a grumpy old man but I can assure you that was not the case. Bob Feller was just very opinionated, that's all.

He didn't take crap from anybody and was never afraid to speak his mind. He did not know any better; it's just the way people were when he grew up in Van Meter, Iowa.

I have had numerous conversations with him and he has never been rude or discourteous and one thing I loved about him is he always gave his honest answer to every question....no bullshit from Rapid Robert Feller.

RIP

[BestPlay2day]

Sad news but 92 is a great run. Got his autograph at the Mall of America a long time ago and he was a nice guy. Even went to his HOF museum in Iowa about 6 years ago. RIP Bob Feller, he was a great all around guy from what I read.

[pronk]

[mlb]

rip

[Mr. Peepers]

RIP what a great man and hero...need more of him in this world