On this date, 1936

[drh1150]

Bob Feller struck out 17 against the Philadelphia Athletics. He was 17 at the time. The pride of Van Meter, or "the heater from Van Meter", one of his nicknames.

While Feller pitched in American Legion ball, his catcher was Nile Kinnick.

It's great to be an Iowan.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

Yessir. He did that and returned to Van Meter to graduate from high school. He had one of the greatest pitching arms in history. It’s the stuff of dreams, really. To know that you’re a kid sitting in a tiny high school in rural Iowa with a fastball that’s better than any in the major leagues.

 

[stillh8unlv]

And Lute was right there cheering him on

 

[QChawks]

Bob Feller was a stud!

1938 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1939 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1940 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1941 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1942 - Served in WWII
1943 - Served in WWII
1944 - Served in WWII
1945 - Served in WWII
1946 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1947 - Lead MLB in strikeouts
1948 - Lead MLB in strikeouts