[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 22255-22256]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BOB FELLER

 Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, today I honor and congratulate 
an outstanding community member, distinguished veteran of World War II 
and Baseball Hall of Famer who played for my hometown team, the 
Cleveland Indians, on his upcoming 90th birthday on November 3.
  Bob Feller, also known as ``Rapid Robert,'' was born in 1918, and 
grew up in humble beginnings during the Great Depression on a farm 
outside Van Meter, IA. There he learned the importance of hard work, 
leadership and civic responsibility from his father Bill, who worked 
the family farm, and his mother Lena, who was a nurse and a school 
teacher.
  While doing chores around the farm--including milking the cows and 
taking the hogs to market--Bob dreamed of becoming a Major League 
Baseball player. With the encouragement of his parents--especially his 
father, who had been a semi-pro pitcher--Bob honed his skills and 
worked to achieve his dream.
  Bob and his father spent countless hours playing pitch and catch on 
the mound and a backstop his father had built between the barn and the 
house. When it was too cold to throw outside in the winter, they moved 
practice sessions into the barn.
  As he grew, Bob's pitching speed increased, and by the time he was in 
grade school he was regularly beating high schoolers. Word of his 
curveball and strong arm quickly spread, and sports fans across the 
country began to take notice of the kid with the ``Heater from Van 
Meter.'' As interest in Bob's pitching grew, Bob's father expanded the 
pitching mound and backstop into a full field with bleachers and a 
concession stand. A team was formed with Bob as pitcher and his father 
managing. Hundreds of people traveled to each game at the farm to pay 
35 cents to watch young Bob dominate batters with his signature high 
windup kick and blazing fastball.
  Bob began the first of his 18 seasons with the Cleveland Indians 
after his junior year of high school when he signed with the team and 
jumped straight to the big leagues. In his first Major League start, he 
backed up the hype and added to his legend by striking out 15 in a 
four-to-one win over the St. Louis Browns. At age 17, the win made him 
the youngest Major League pitcher to win a game--a record that still 
stands today.
  After his rookie season, Bob returned to Iowa for his senior year of 
high school, and the eyes of the Nation followed him there. In fact, 
NBC covered his graduation live on national radio.
  Back in Cleveland after graduation, Bob went on to establish himself 
as the premier pitcher in Major League Baseball, as he led the league 
in strikeouts in 1938, won 24 games in 1939 and, in 1940, threw the 
only Opening Day no-hitter in major league history. That year he also 
won a league best 27 games with an ERA of 2.61 and 261 strikeouts to 
win the pitcher's Triple Crown.
  Despite being at the height of his career, Bob traded his cleats and 
baseball cap for a Navy uniform without a second thought after the 
Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Putting his country first, he 
signed up just 2 days after the attack, making him the first major 
leaguer to enlist in the military to fight in World War II.
  In the Navy, Bob was assigned to the battleship U.S.S. Alabama, where 
he led

[[Page 22256]]

an anti-aircraft gun crew and attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer. 
During missions in the Atlantic and the Pacific, he fought admirably 
along with his fellow shipmates in notable battles in the waters off 
New Guinea, Guam and the Philippines. Though Bob earned 5 campaign 
ribbons and 8 battle stars, he'll quickly tell you that he is most 
proud that the Alabama never lost a man to the enemy in battle.
  While on the Alabama, Bob stayed in shape by leading exercise classes 
twice a day, and playing on the ship's baseball team; but his 
dedication to his mission and his shipmates was unquestioned. In fact, 
Bob declined an invitation by Admiral Nimitz to leave the war zone and 
fly to Honolulu to pitch in the Army-Navy World Series game, telling 
the admiral that he had more important things to do.
  Bob missed all of the next 3 seasons--and nearly all of the 1945 
season--but he never had any regrets. His wife Anne says, ``For all 
that Bob accomplished in baseball, and all that baseball means to him, 
I still think Bob's more proud about his service in the Navy.''
  When the war was won, Bob returned to baseball. For many athletes, 3 
years off would be a difficult challenge to overcome, but not for Bob. 
He returned to the Indians for the 1946 season and had arguably the 
best season of his career, as he won 26 games, pitched a no-hitter, 
two-one hitters and struck out 348.
  After the 1946 season, Bob played a major role in the desegregation 
of baseball. In a series of exhibitions played across the country 
organized by Bob and his good friend Satchel Paige, the Bob Feller All-
Stars matched up against the Satchel Paige All-Stars from the Negro 
Leagues. These games offered a great amount of national exposure, 
smoothing the path for Jackie Robinson and other African Americans who 
would later enter Major League Baseball.
  Bob retired after the 1956 season as one of Cleveland's all-time 
great players. Throughout his career he won 20 or more games in a 
season 6 times, pitched 3 no-hitters, was an integral part of the 1948 
Indians team that won the World Series and played in the All Star Game 
eight times. He still stands as Cleveland's all-time leader in 
shutouts, innings pitched, wins and strikeouts.
  In 1962, Bob's achievements were recognized when he was elected to 
the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first 
pitcher to enter the Hall in his first year of eligibility since 
charter member Walter Johnson.
  More important than all of the records Bob holds are the lives he has 
touched and the people he has inspired with his amazing gift. Like so 
many other boys growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, Bob Feller was one 
of my heroes. Getting to know Bob and observe his down-home humility, 
enthusiasm for life and baseball and, more importantly, his commitment 
to his country, has been a great joy for me during my time as mayor of 
Cleveland, Governor and now Senator for Ohio. I will never forget being 
on the mound with Bob and President Clinton on opening day of the 
inaugural season for Jacobs Field in 1994, and I still treasure the 
baseball he signed for me that day.
  Since retiring from baseball, Bob has continued to touch countless 
lives, as he has devoted himself to serving the community with the same 
passion and work ethic that made him one of the best pitchers in 
baseball history. He is well known for always taking time to sign 
autographs and visit with fans and has dedicated countless hours to a 
number of causes. Today he proudly lists the Salvation Army, the 
Cleveland Indians Charities, the Little League of Gates Mills and the 
U.S.S. Alabama Foundation among his favorite charities. Bob also 
remains very active in the Major League Baseball Players Alumni 
Association and the Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter, IA.
  Cleveland will be forever indebted to Bob for his contributions and I 
am proud he still fondly calls the area home. In fact, he currently 
lives with his beautiful wife Anne in nearby Gates Mills, where he 
remains in close touch with his three sons and grandson.
  Despite all that he has accomplished, Bob remains the hard-working, 
down-to-earth, patriotic and compassionate farm boy from Van Meter. 
When asked once if he could relive any one of the many great moments of 
his life, Bob answered without hesitation, ``Playing catch with my dad 
between the red barn and the house.''
  On behalf of a grateful Nation, I would like to congratulate Bob 
Feller on his upcoming 90th birthday, and thank him for his service to 
his country, his dedication to the community and for sharing his love 
of baseball and the Cleveland Indians with so many. He is truly a role 
model that all of us should strive to emulate. I wish him continued 
health and happiness.

                          ____________________