[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 449 Engrossed in House (EH)]


109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                            H. CON. RES. 449

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the historic 1946 season of Major 
  League Baseball Hall of Fame member Bob Feller and his return from 
                 military service to the United States.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 449

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas Robert William Andrew Feller was born on November 3, 1918, near Van 
        Meter, Iowa, and resides in Gates Mills, Ohio;
Whereas Bob Feller enlisted in the Navy 2 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor 
        in 1941;
Whereas, at the time of his enlistment, Bob Feller was at the peak of his 
        baseball career, as he had been signed to the Cleveland Indians at the 
        age of 16, had struck out 15 batters in his first Major League Baseball 
        start in August 1936, and established a Major League record by striking 
        out 18 Detroit Tigers in a single, 9-inning game;
Whereas Bob Feller is the first pitcher in modern Major League Baseball history 
        to win 20 or more games before the age of 21;
Whereas Bob Feller pitched the only opening day no-hitter in Major League 
        Baseball history;
Whereas, on April 16, 1940, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Bob Feller threw his 
        first no-hitter and began the season for which he was awarded Major 
        League Baseball Player of the Year;
Whereas Bob Feller served with valor in the Navy for nearly 4 years, missing 
        almost 4 full baseball seasons;
Whereas Bob Feller was stationed mostly aboard the U.S.S. Alabama as a gunnery 
        specialist, where he kept his pitching arm in shape by tossing a ball on 
        the deck of that ship;
Whereas Bob Feller earned 8 battle stars and was discharged in late 1945, and 
        was able to pitch 9 games at the end of that season, compiling a record 
        of 5 wins and 3 losses;
Whereas 60 years ago, amid great speculation that, after nearly 4 seasons away 
        from baseball, his best pitching days were behind him, Bob Feller had 1 
        of the most amazing seasons in baseball history;
Whereas, in the 1946 season, Bob Feller pitched 36 complete games in 42 starts;
Whereas, on April 30, 1946, in a game against the New York Yankees, Bob Feller 
        pitched his second career no-hitter;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller pitched in relief 6 times, saving 4 games;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller routinely threw between 125 and 140 pitches a game, 
        a feat not often seen today;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller pitched 371\1/3\ innings and had 348 strikeouts;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller had an earned run average of 2.18;
Whereas, in 1946, a fastball thrown by Bob Feller was clocked at 109 mph;
Whereas Bob Feller was the winning pitcher in the 1946 All Star Game, throwing 3 
        scoreless innings in a 12-0 victory by the American League;
Whereas, in 1946, Bob Feller led the American League in wins, shutouts, 
        strikeouts, games pitched, and innings;
Whereas the baseball career of Bob Feller ended in 1956, but not before pitching 
        his third no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers on July 1, 1951, pitching 
        12 1-hit games, amassing 266 victories and 2,581 strikeouts, and leading 
        the league in strikeouts 7 times;
Whereas Bob Feller was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962; and
Whereas Bob Feller, a beloved baseball figure known as ``Bullet Bob'' and 
        ``Rapid Robert,'' placed service to his country ahead of playing the 
        game he loved and is a decorated war veteran: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That the Congress commemorates the 60th anniversary of the 1946 season 
of Bob Feller and his return from military service to the United 
States.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 25, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.