Softball's Eddie Feigner, 81, a showman for half a century

Eddie Feigner, 81, the hard-throwing softball showman who barnstormed for more than 50 years with "The King and His Court" four-man team, died Friday in Huntsville, Ala.

Mr. Feigner, a former Marine known for his crew cut and bulging right arm, died of a respiratory ailment related to dementia, said his wife, Anne Marie Feigner.

With a fastball once clocked at 104 m.p.h., Mr. Feigner threw 930 no-hitters and 238 perfect games, and struck out 141,517 batters while playing more than 10,000 games. He was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 2000.

A stroke in 2000 - a day after he threw the first pitch before the women's softball competition in the Sydney Olympics - ended his playing career when he was 75.

Mr. Feigner not only pitched from the standard mound, 46 feet from home plate, but also from second base, behind his back, on his knees, between his legs, from center field and blindfolded. In a nationally televised exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1964, he struck out major-league stars Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew, Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson in order.

He began "The King and His Court" in 1946 on a dare in his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash.

At the height of Mr. Feigner's popularity, the team played at major-league ballparks, including Yankee Stadium, and he appeared on numerous national television shows, including Today, I've Got a Secret, What's My Line? and CBS Sports Spectacular. On The Tonight Show, he pitched blindfolded to Johnny Carson, who loosely held a bat over a home plate. Mr. Feigner hit Carson's bat with his first pitch.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Eddie Jr., who played with the team for 25 years; daughters Shirley, Carol and Debbie; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services were pending.

Memorial donations may be made to the Eddie Feigner Legacy Wall in care of Anne Marie Feigner, Box 4884, Huntsville, Ala. 35815.