Eddie Feigner lived life like he was on a mission, a mission to entertain and help people. That mission ended yesterday, when the softball legend died in Huntsville, Alabama. Feigner’s death has been attributed to a respiratory ailment, but the revered athlete also suffered from dementia. Feigner, who was born an orphan and died a king, leaves behind his wife Anne-Marie, a son and countless other family members, and thousands of avid fans.

Whether or not you recognize his name, trust me you know exactly who Eddie Feigner is. More accurately, there’s a good chance you have probably seen him in person, and been awed by his brilliance on the diamond. The King of “The King and his Court,” Feigner is the most remarkable fast-pitch softball player of all time. He created the court over six decades ago, and his four-player traveling softball-team was still out-dueling opponents this year. 

Having grown up an athletic phenomenon, Feigner excelled at every endeavor he ever took on. He toured the world with his court for the past 61-years, and was still attending events last year with as much zeal and passion as ever before. He never flew or took trains to any of his games. That just wasn’t the King’s style. Instead he rode in a van from city-to-city and game-to-game with the love of his life, and fellow court-member Anne Marie. Anne-Marie also doubled as his tour-manager and event booker.

She’s been working vigorously on a legacy-wall, which will feature images of the King’s glory days and which fans can have their names engrained on. She thinks the King wanted to see it completed before he moved on. She and Feigner’s family are asking that rather than sending flowers for her husband, you make donations to the newly-finished legacy-wall, a project you can learn more about on Feigner’s website, www. kingandhiscourt.com.    

You might also see on the site that the King didn’t have an agent or a driver, and his dynamic and engaging personality made him approachable for both the media and fans alike. His statistics and accomplishments on the ball-field are staggering. His career-numbers were so lofty that they put anything names like Jordan or Ruth ever accomplished to shame. Yet he was as humble and genuine a man as you could have ever met, and yet he was still as much a King as Phillip or George ever was.

Feigner led his court from city-to-city and country-to-country over the past six-decades, playing against anyone and everyone who dared to challenge him. Feigner’s traveling quartet was always at a disadvantage numbers wise, but never in talent. They played the local all-stars of more than 4,000 difference communities, and never-once was the five-main disadvantage a problem.

It didn’t matter how many fielders you had when batters weren’t making contact off of the King’s renowned pitches. Blindfolded, between his legs, from second base. It didn’t matter where Feigner pitched from.

The court played in front of and enthralled more than 20-million people dating back to its inception in 1946. Feigner’s softball career spanned nearly 70 years, in which time the King played games in more than 104 different countries. He played in all of the original Major League stadiums, never disappointing the spectators that came out in droves to marvel at Feigner’s abilities.
 In his 61 years on tour Feigner tallied more than 141,000 strikeouts and over 930 no-hitters during the most legendary and illustrious career an athlete’s ever had.

It will never be said that the King was just a part of an event. He was the event. Calling Feigner a pitcher is doing the King an injustice; he was an entertainer and ambassador to the game first, and a pitcher second. He pitched to over 15,000 batters blindfolded, striking out more than 8,000 of them. He threw 238 perfect games and at one time in his career pitched in 57 straight games in a 21-day span. He never needed a middle reliever, setup man, or closer. When he took the mound he finished the game, which he’s done more than 14,500 times in his career.      

As easy as it is to get caught up in his statistical accomplishments and softball résumé, it’s important to remember that the King is a man first, and a ball-player second. That is, Feigner wasn’t impressed by the number of games he played in or how many strikeouts he compiled. The only number he cared about when he looked back on his 60-plus years on the road was the number of people he made smile.

The King traveled well more than 4 million miles to play ball, and he did it all to help the town he was playing in. The profits and proceeds generated by his events are given back to the local police and fire departments, as each of the thousands of games he has ever played in have benefited the community he was visiting.

For the King, who covered over 100,000 miles on the road in 2005 alone, his 61-years on the road were more about bringing families and friends together for an evening of fun than strikeouts or no-hitters. While I wouldn’t dispute that he has a little Superman in him, the King’s far more like Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis than he is Nolan Ryan.

There were events where as many as 5,000 fans stayed lurking around the field well after a game to get an autograph. The King, unlike many athletes and celebrities today, never turned away a single fan. Some just wanted an autograph, others to reflect on the first-time they saw him play. Whatever the case, the King always had time for all of his supporters. Feigner always said that the only reason he played for so long was the fans, who he said make the court what it was. 

Feigner, whose fastball (once clocked at 104 MPH) was named to ESPN’s list of the “Ten greatest pitches of all time,” While the velocity behind Feigner’s pitches changed over the years, his message to his fans didn’t. He always stressed to his crowds the importance of doing something with one’s life.

According to Feigner, not having parents or being disabled and in a wheelchair, both obstacles the King had to overcome, should have no bearing on what a person is able to accomplish. In his last few years on tour, Feigner cared more about thanking and motivating his fans than he did the games he played in.

Feigner’s passing marks the end of his playing and touring days, but a piece of him lives on in each and every one of us that the king ever touched. I’m reminded of a quote from the movie The Sandlot when thinking about the King’s passing. “Heroes are remembered, but legends never die.” Feigner was both.

I was lucky enough to have met and talked to Feigner on several separate occasions, and I’m better for it. He was a kind and genuine individual, who possessed myriad non-softball related gifts. His passion for helping people and for entertaining people is what I’ll remember most about him.

“All good things must come to an end, and one of these seasons will be my last one,” Feigner wrote in his 1998 program. “When the time comes for me to lay down the old softball, I want to feel that I have done more than just entertain my fans and friends around the world.” Mission accomplished Mr. Feigner!