Softball legend Eddie Feigner died Friday. At one time, he was renowned for his ability to pitch, and he made his living barnstorming around the country with three other players beating nine-man teams almost at will.I was lucky enough to share Fuller Field in Clinton with him one evening in 1990 or 1991, as I umpired a game between the King and His Court and team of students and faculty from Atlantic Union College.
Well, "umpired" might not be exactly the right way to describe my role. Much like the way the Harlem Globetrotters put on their shows, the King and His Court played a few innings straight and a couple of innings mugging for the crowd. My job essentially was to do what I was told, and play along with the gags. For instance, the catcher told me to go out and clean off the plate, and when he popped his glove, I was supposed to dive out of the way like I thought Feigner had buzzed me with a pitch. I felt pretty stupid doing it (when I was asked to do the game, I was under the impression that I was actually, you know, umpiring), but I was honored to be there.
(Honored and a little peeved. I was a better softball player than at least a couple of players on the AUC team and thought that I should have been playing instead of umpiring.)
By that time, Feigner was in his mid-60s and only pitched a couple of innings. During one of those innings, Feigner fired one pitch off the plate and a little low and I quietly called it a ball as the catcher held his glove in place. The catcher said "Buddy, that's a strike." So I put my arm up and hollered "Striiiiike!" They thought I was trying to squeeze the greatest softball pitcher of all time!
In fact, the game I umpired was the second time I had seen Feigner pitch, as my grandfather took me to a game at Fuller Field sometime in the early '80s. I made a big sign that said "The King and His Court Will Reign Forever" (corny, I know. I can't help it, I was a bit of a geek) and the members of the team signed it after the game.
Anyway, as honored as I was to do the game, my grandfather was thrilled for me. Feigner was sort of an athletic "hero" to my grandfather. He loved to play softball, and used to tell me about the King and His Court frequently when I was growing up. I want to say he also was an Adventist at one time--or he was married to an Adventist, or had some other tie to the church--and that was another reason Gramp had such a strong interest in his career. Gramp was very proud that I'd had that opportunity.
I am too.
Tags: Massachusetts Clinton Eddie Feigner Softball
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