Softball pitching ‘king’ Feigner dead Barnstorming hurler made appearances in eastern, northern Maine

Eddie Feigner, a crowd-pleasing softball pitcher and showman who toured the world for 55 years as The King and His Court, died Feb. 9 from complications of dementia at Cogburn Health and Rehabilitation facility in Huntsville, Ala. He was 81.

Feigner (pronounced FAY-ner) was, beyond dispute, the greatest softball pitcher who ever lived. In a barnstorming career that began in 1946, he and his four-man team were all but unbeatable.

Feigner made numerous stops in Bangor, including the Garland Street Field and Mansfield Complex.

At his peak, Feigner threw a softball harder than any major league pitcher has ever thrown a baseball. His underhand fastball was once timed at 104 mph – or, according to some accounts, 114 mph. The fastest documented pitch thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 mph.

Pitching in hundreds of games each year against local all-star teams, Feigner won 95 percent of the time. He and his “court,” which included only a catcher, first baseman and shortstop, played everywhere from Yankee Stadium to the Great Wall of China, with countless military bases, rodeo arenas and cow pastures in between. He appeared in all 50 states and in 98 foreign countries.

In a 1967 exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Feigner faced a lineup of six Major League Baseball players (five of whom were later elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame). He struck out all six – Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew – in succession.

Feigner kept meticulous records of his victories (9,743), strikeouts (141,517), no-hitters (930) and perfect games (238). An excellent hitter as well, he once slugged 83 home runs in a 250-game exhibition season.

Beyond the staggering numbers, Feigner created his most lasting impressions with a series of remarkable pitching stunts. He could strike out players while blindfolded (8,698 times) or while pitching behind his back or between his legs. He had a curveball that would dip 18 inches. To give his opponents a chance, he often pitched from second base or, on occasion, from center field.