I've got a 1935 scorebook that has the last amatuer baseball tournament that Bob Feller pitched in before signing with the Indians.
In the final two days of the tournament, 16 year old Feller, playing against grown men, pitched
two complete games and likely threw over 300 pitches!
On 8/24/35 Feller pitched for his Farmer's Union team and beat Hawkeye Cher Burl 10-1. He faced 37 batters, struck out 18 and walked 2. The next day, on 8/25/35 he beat Cascade 4-2, facing 39 batters with 13 strike outs and 4 walks. Considering that Feller was somewhat of a wild man (he lead the American League in walks in 8 different seasons), it isn't hard to figure that he threw an average of 4 or maybe 5 pitches to each batter (surely he had high pitch counts on all the strike outs and walks, plus a few foul balls thrown in). That equates to 300 to 380 pitches inside of 24 hours from a 16 year old kid that probably threw 95 mph at that time! Talk about child abuse! Just think if a coach did that now!!
It just amazes me how hard throwers like Feller and Ryan and Johnson (Walter or Randy, take your pick) can throw for so many years without their arm falling off. It's even harder though imagining doing it on very little rest. I mean I can see it with a Jamie Moyer or a Niekro but....
Rob M.
Feller Scorebook 3.jpg