Bob Feller was probably the first ballplayer I ever viewed as a businessman, because he was such a fixture on the show circuit, but I realized it even more after learning about his barnstorming escapades during his playing days.
I hope he is not forgotten from the American conscience because the Bob Feller story is fascinating and reads like a tall tale.
He began his major league career in 1936, at age 17!!!!!, fresh off his family’s farm in Van Meter, Iowa. He came up in August, striking out 15 in his first start. A month later, he set an American League rookie record fanning 17. Then he went home to finish his senior year of high school. Let all of that sink in for a minute. He was a national sensation – his graduation was covered by NBC Radio.
Aside from his immense talent as a pitching prodigy, he was principled, opinionated, patriotic (gave up four years of his prime) and just interesting as hell.
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