Hall of Fame fireballer Feller dies at age 92

R.I.P Rapid Robert Feller, Hall of Fame fireballer, the greatest Cleveland Indian, age 92

I just mentioned him after the Cliff Lee trade. He is one of Cole Hamel's main competitors among the greatest fourth starters of all time, based on his performance with the 1954 Indians at the tail end of his career. In his prime, for the same Indians, the only team he ever played for, The Sporting News labeled him "The Greatest Pitcher of His Time." Altogether he had three no-hitters and twelve one-hitters. At age 17 he made his first major league start, striking out 15. Later in that season he struck out 17 to tie the existing AL record. He was a 20 game winner before he turned 21. He threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in Major League history. He won 24-27-25 games in 1939-1940-1941.

Then the war came.

He was the very first Major League player to join the military after the Pearl Harbor bombing, and he didn't sign up to be playing some exhibition games for the troops. He was fighting. And his soldierin' was pretty much as good as his pitchin'. During his Navy service he earned five campaign ribbons and eight battle stars.

After his spectacular string in 1939-41, he won 26 games in 1946, with 36 complete games, 348 Ks, and 10 shoutouts! Feller finished 3-2-3-6 in the MVP balloting in those four years!

Feller won 266 games in his career. That doesn't sound imposing until you look at the giant wartime hole in his career. Between those four great seasons described above, he probably lost 90 wins because of the war. That would give him 356, a total which would make him fifth of all time among right-handers, one win ahead of Greg Maddux and, yes, that is truly where he belongs. Without any debate, the big three of the AL in that era were Feller, Williams, and DiMaggio. That, my friends, is the A-list.