Bob Feller, the Iowa farmboy who became a hard-throwing pitching legend for the Cleveland Indians, has died at age 92.
Feller captured America's attention because he came right out of high schoo and confounded major leaguers, striking out 17 Athletics in 1936. He missed nearly four full seasons in his prime to fight in World War II, but still managed to win 266 games in 18 seasons — all with the Indians KNown as "Rabid Robert," he had 2,581 strikeouts, and pitched three no-hitters.
As we head into winter, it's a great time to pick up one of Feller's books to remind ourselves of warmer times. If you're not a Feller fan, I'd recommend a couple of other recent bios about baseball icons: "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" by Jane Leavy and "Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend" by James S. Hirsch.
R.I.P. Rapid Robert.