FELLER, BOB

born Nov. 3, 1918, Van Meter, Iowa, U.S. byname of Robert William Andrew Feller, also called Rapid Robert American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher whose fastball made him a frequent leader in games won and strikeouts during his 18-year career with the American League Cleveland Indians. Feller was signed to a contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in 1935 and joined the Cleveland Indians mid-season in 1936. At first he had little control (his record of 208 bases on balls in one season stood into the early 1980s), but he led the league in pitching (193941), winning 24, 27, and 25 games, and also led the league in strikeouts (246, 261, 260). From 1946 to 1948 he again led the league in strikeouts with 348, 196, and 194, the first record standing until the advent of Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan in the 1960s and '70s. He pitched three no-hit games, the first pitcher in the 20th century to do so, in 1940, 1946, and 1951. In his career he pitched 12 one-hit games. His pitching speed was the greatest until broken by Ryan's 100.9 mph. After retiring from baseball in 1956, he formed a baseball insurance business. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.