Legendary softball king visits Iowa

The legendary “King and His Court” will bring their softball show to Grinnell on this Fourth of July. As an orphaned child, Eddie Feigner couldn’t have imagined that his life would be what it is. He began playing softball over 60 years ago. He says he got the idea from the barnstorming Negro leagues in baseball. Feigner’s talent became evident when he was a Marine during World War II. He says people from all over the country told him there was noone like him. He’d pitch to them and if they got a hit, they got five dollars. If they didn’t get a hit, they had to pay him a dollar. Feigner feels blessed, and isn’t regretful that his talent wasn’t discovered sooner. Feigner plays with a four-man team, and that concept started on a dare in Washington State in 1946. He struck out 21 straight batters and some of the others started calling him names. He says he told them he’d play with his catcher, but they’d walk them both, so he told Feigner to come down with two other players. They did and won 7-0. Feigner says this will be his last season.