Nationalpastime.com Touching Base with History



July 6, 1936

After the first batter is thrown out trying to bunt, Bob Feller, a 17-year old farm boy from Van Meter, Iowa, strikes out eight consecutive batters in three innings during an All-star break exhibition game against the Cardinals' Gas House Gang. It is the Indian rookie's first appearance in a major league uniform.



July 19, 1936

Seventeen year-old Iowa farm boy, Bob Feller, makes his major league debut pitching one inning of relief against the Senators in Washington, D.C. The hard throwing 'kid' allows no hits and no runs, striking out none and walks two batters. (Feller believes the box score is wrong - he claims to have struck out Buddy Lewis in his autobiography)



August 23, 1936

The Indians' seventeen-year-old rookie pitcher, Bob Feller makes his first major league start striking out the first eight batters he faces. 'Rapid Robert' will finish the game with 15 strikeouts, one shy of the American League record, as Cleveland beats the Browns, 4-1.



September 13, 1936

Indians' teenage pitching phenom Bob Feller sets a new American League record by striking out 17 batters when he two-hits the A's at Shibe Park, 5-2. After the season, the 17-year old will return to his Van Meter, Iowa home to graduate from high school.



October 2, 1938

Indians' fireballer Bob Feller fans 18 Tigers establishing a modern major league record for strike outs in a game, but 'Rapid Robert' loses the Cleveland Stadium contest, 4-1. Two seasons ago, the 17-year old Van Meter farm boy set the American League mark with 17 punch-outs in his rookie year.



September 8, 1939

With his 12-1 victory over the Browns in St. Louis, Bob Feller becomes the youngest modern-era player to win 20 games. The Indians fireballer finish the season 24-9 while posting a 2.85 ERA.



July 11, 1939

All three runs in the American League's 3-1 All-Star victory are driven in by Yankees as their home ballpark plays host to the Midsummer Classic. Indians fireballer Bob Feller steals the show at Yankee Stadium as the 20-year old hurls 3.2 scoreless innings.



May 14, 1939

At Comiskey Park, Bob Feller's mother, sitting in the stands near the visitor's dugout, is injured when a foul ball hits her just above the right eye. The Indians' starting pitcher, her son Bob, threw the pitch that resulted in his mom needing seven stitches on Mothers' Day.



April 16, 1940

On a cool day at Comiskey Park, the White Sox team batting average does not change when Indian fireballer Bob Feller hurls an Opening Day no-hitter beating Chicago, 1-0. Each South-sider started and ended the game with a .000 BA.



October 26, 1940

Tigers' slugging left fielder Hank Greenberg (.340, 41, 150) is named the American League's Most Valuable Player with Indian hurler Bob Feller (27-11- 2.61) finishing second. Having won the award in 1935 as a first baseman, 'Hammerin' Hank' becomes the first player to win the MVP again playing a different position.



May 24, 1940

The first major league game at night is played in St. Louis. A Friday evening crowd of 24,827 watches Bob Feller and the Indians beat the hometown Browns at Sportsman Park, 3-2.



January 21, 1941

The Indians sign Bob Feller to a deal worth a reported $30,000. The Van Meter, Iowa farm boy posted a 27-11 record with a 2.61 ERA for Cleveland last season.



December 9, 1941

Although having a 3-C draft deferment due to being the sole support of his family, Indian hurler Bob Feller, last year's American League leading pitcher with 27 victories, becomes the first major leaguer to enlist after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The 23-year old navy recruit has already won 107 major league games.



January 6, 1942

Indians right-hander Bob Feller reports to Norfolk to begin his World War II enlistment in the Navy. Rapid Robert, a 20-game winner for the Tribe for the last three seasons, was the first major leaguer to enlist in the armed forces after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.



April 30, 1946

In the game he considers his biggest thrill in baseball, Indian hurler Bob Feller, striking out 11 batters, throws his second career no-hitter, edging the Yankees at the Stadium, 1-0. Frankie Hayes' home run in the top of the ninth inning proves to be the difference.



August 20, 1946

Prior to the start of the game against the Senators in Washington, using the U.S. Army's Sky Screen Chronograph, Bob Feller's fastball is clocked at 98.6 miles-per-hour breaking Yankees' hurler Atley Donald's 1939 speed record of 94.7 mph.



September 27, 1946

In Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Indian fireballer Bob Feller ties Rube Waddell's major league mark with his 343rd K of the season. Future research, however, will show the future Hall of Famer had really struck out 349 in 1904.



September 29, 1946

On the last day of the campaign, by striking out opposing pitcher Hal Newhouser and four others, Bob Feller establishes a major league record by striking out his 348 batters in one season. Future research, however, will show Rube Waddell had struck out 349 in 1904.



October 10, 1948

The largest crowd ever to attend a World Series game, 86,288 fans jam into Cleveland's Municipal Stadium to witness a showdown between to future Hall of Famers. Braves' southpaw Warren Spahn beats Bob Feller and the Indians in Game 5 of the Fall Classic, 11-5.



January 18, 1950

Bob Feller asks and gets his salary reduced to $45,000, a $20,000 cut, because he believes his sub-par record of 15-14 doesn't merit an increase. Right-handed 'Rapid Robert' will rebound posting a 16-11 record along with an ERA of 3.43 for the Indians next season.



July 1, 1951

Indian right-hander Bob Feller becomes the third pitcher in major league history, joining Larry Corcoran and Cy Young, to pitch three career no-hitters when he defeats the Tiger, 2-1. Detroit scores its run in the fourth frame on an error, a stolen base, an errant pick-off throw and a sac fly.



June 12, 1954

The Indians (35-17) move into first place as Bob Feller gets his 2,500th career strikeout when the Tribe beats Boston in Fenway Park, 4-3. Rapid Rob will finish his 18-year major league career with 2,581, an average of more than six batters a game.



May 1, 1955

Indian starters put on a 'pitching clinic' during a doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox. Veteran Bob Feller holds Boston hitless for 6+ innings and hurls his major league record 12th one-hitter in a 2-0 victory, and in the night cap, rookie left-hander Herb Score strikes out the first nine batters (he will whiff a total of 16) en route to a 2-1 four-hitter win.



December 11, 1956

A major league player association is formed. Bob Feller, a star pitcher with the Indians, is named as the organization's first president.



August 31, 1959

Tying major league mark, Sandy Koufax fans 18 Giants to establish a new National record for a nine-inning in a 5-2 Dodger win at the LA Memorial Coliseum. In 1938, Indians fireballer Bob Feller struck out 18 in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers.



April 24, 1962

Dodger Sandy Koufax ties a major league mark striking out 18 batters in a nine inning game when the Dodgers rout the Cubs, 10-2 at Wrigley Field. Indians right-hander Bob Feller established the record whiffing 18 Tigers in 1938.



July 23, 1962

Jackie Robinson becomes the first black player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Joining the Dodger infielder in the Cooperstown ceremony are fireballer Bob Feller, veteran manager Bill McKechnie, and outfielder Ed Roush.



June 4, 1964

At Connie Mack Stadium, Sandy Koufax throws his third no-hitter in three years, blanking the Phillies 3-0. The Dodgers' southpaw, who will add a perfect game to his resume next season, joins Bob Feller as the only other modern major leaguer to pitch three career hitless games.



August 25, 1985

At the age of 20 years, 9 months, 9 days, Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest 20-game winner ever when the Mets beat San Diego at Shea Stadium, 9-3. Doc is 27 days younger than former Indian hurler Bob Feller, who accomplished the feat with Cleveland in 1939.



June 3, 1989

Nolan Ryan pitches his 11th career one-hitter beating the Mariners, 6-1. The Alvin, Texas native breaks Bob Feller's record of 15 low-hit game having now having pitched a combination of 16 no-hit and one-hit games.



April 26, 1990

Ranger hurler Nolan Ryan ties Bob Feller's major league record of throwing twelve one-hitters when he beats the White Sox,1-0. The only hit allowed is Ron Kittle's second inning check-swing single to right field.



April 4, 1994

In the inaugural game played Jacobs Field, President Clinton throws out the first ball and 'El Presidente' Dennis Martinez throws the first pitch as the Indians defeat the Mariners In 11 innings, 4-3 With Bob Feller, the author of the only Opening Day no-hitter game in major league history in attendance, Mariner southpaw Randy Johnson holds the tribe hitless for the first seven innings.