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For
over 60 years the King & His Court have introduced the
talents of some of the best softball players in history. The
following players have played a historical part of helping
the King & His Court gain worldwide fame.
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Anderson,
Doug
(Tour: 1971-1973)
An ex-Dodger and Red Sox, pitcher, Doug first met Eddie
on a golf course. Doug could drive a golf ball 350
yards. Eddie encouraged him to join the team as a catcher.
He hit 79 home runs in four months with the court.
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Aucoin,
Eddie
(Tour:
1998-2000)
Senior baseball at Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL.
All-Star infielder and hitter. Resigned from the
Court to continue his college education. |
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Bailey,
Mark
(Tour: 1965-1969)
Mark has punted a football over 80 yards and was invited
to play for the New York Yankees baseball club. Marks
great arm once threw a man out at home while leaning off-balance
with his back against the center field fence! He is now
a high-school teacher in California. |
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Barber.
Les
(Tour:
1975-1977 & 1981-1982)
Les was a hand-picked catcher from the pro-leagues of
Western Canada. |
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Barnett,
Dave
(Tour:
1981-1984, 1988)
Dave played centerfield for the University of North Carolina
when they finished 3rd in the 1978 College World Series.
He is now the head baseball coach and athletic director
at Flager College, St. Augustine, Florida. |
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Bateman,
John
(Tour: 1977-1980)
Now Deceased
John hit 190 homeruns for The Court in 1980. The Court's
third ex-major leaguer. John played baseball for
Montreal, Houston, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He learned
to hit a softball playing for the Texas State Amateur
Softball Champions, the Houston Bombers. |
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Berger,
Floyd
(Tour:
1967-1968 & 1971-1977 & 1986)
Floyd is one of five left-handers who has played on The
Court. He played Softball at Virginia Tech. and now teaches
school in California. |
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Booth,
Dave
(Tour:
1986, 1991-1997, 2005-2007)
Body builder and natural athlete. He could be a stunt
man and actor for TV films. He is a painting contractor
in Middletown, PA |
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Branchaud,
Mike
(Tour: 1994-1997)
Fire balling MVP Pitcher from Ontario, Canada. We
call him Mike Daly on the golf course. He can hit the
long drive with the best of them. |
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Cooper,
Ron
(Tour:
1958-1959)
Ron hit the most home runs for the White Sox farm team
in the minors. He gave up the majors to join the
Court and went on to play for "local 57" team out of Providence,
R.I. The redhead could sing like Marty Robins and entertained
along the tour for several seasons- a truly funny and
talented man. |
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Feigner,
Anne Marie
(Tour:
1998- 2006)
25+ years organizing women's softball and ASA Jr. Olympic
Chairman. The true Queen of Eddie's Court. |
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Feigner,
Eddie Jr.
(Tour:
1965, 1978-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999)
J.R. gained valuable experience in handling all the varied
situations that arise during the long tour by living and
traveling with the King since childhood. We hope he tries
to golf on the Senior Tour. His #6 is retired!
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Feigner,
Eddie
"The King"
(Tour
and KHC Founder: 1946-2006)
What was to one day become The King And His Court
all began in 1946 when Eddie Feigner, an energetic strong-armed
young man who had excelled as a softball pitcher before
the war and in the Marines, was home again buzzing
his fast ball by home town batters.
There was one thing about Feigner, he had a world of
confidence in himself and his ability to pitch a softball.
Whenever anyone hurled a challenge at this lad in his
early 20's, he had an immediate taker.
Playing in an early spring league, Feigner was pitching
for a local team of 9 men in a game in Pendleton, Oregon.
Eddie's team won the game by a whopping score, but afterwards
his skill as a "hot shot" softball pitcher was challenged.
This was too much for the "King" who brazenly announced,
"I would play you with only my catcher but you would
walk us both." The other team's manager said, "OK, you
bring your catcher, shortstop, and first baseman down
here and we will play you." On the way back home, the
four wondered what they should do to get ready.
Because it was early spring and the local ball parks
were unavailable to practice on, the 4 men requested
permission to play some of the teams inside the Washington
State Prison. The request was granted. With high
walls as a backdrop, and the curious inmates looking
on, The Four-Man Softball Team came into being. That
same week, the name "The King and His Court" was chosen.
A week later 400 fans were on hand to view the unpublicized,
initial 4 versus 9 game. Feigner rose to the occasion.
In 7 innings, he pitched a perfect game and struck out
19 batters. One ball was hit to the shortstop, and one
to the first baseman. The final score was 7-0
in favour of the Court.
The players of the opposition team deserve much praise.
Sometimes during our games they are subjected to a little
of what is called "horseplay." The intention is never
to make a player look bad. After all, when a man offers
his services to play, we have nothing but respect for
him.
Eddie
passed away on February 9, 2007.
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Fisher,
Jason
(Tour 2006) |
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| Talented athete with a strong
arm. Pitcher two H.S. no-hitters and passed for a signgle
game record of 339 yards in football. |
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Fittje,
Russ
(Tour 2006)
Russ
was a four sport all-star in High School and starting
pitcher (4 years) at Hastings College. A talented ball
fielder with quick feet. |
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Herrick,
Jim
(Tour:
1965-1966 & 1969-1970)
A good catcher and hitter, famous for his belly slides,
Jim developed into one of the most laugh provoking comedy
stars on the Court. After two years in Viet Nam, Jim returned
to teach high school in Southern California. |
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Hill,
Bob
(Tour:
1967-1968)
Bob traveled as P.R. advance man for the Court and was
one of the funniest Ad Lib players the court ever had.
An incredibly successful public relations man, he once
booked the Court into Puerto Rico for nine games, however
they stayed to play 57 days! He is now a stock broker
in State College, Pennsylvania. |
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Hoppe,
Rich
(Tour:
1988, 1990-2007)
Rich pitched baseball, softball style, for the Phillies
and was offered a contract. He devotes his time in the
off season talking with gangs about the awareness of choice.
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Jackson,
Al
(Tour:
1958-1980)
A basket ball star in school, Al started with the Cincinnati
baseball farm system before joining the Court. This Super
Star hit 94 homers in 1973. The original team's
first replacement, Jackson also holds the Court record
of over 400 consecutive times at bat without a strike-out.
His #1 is retired. |
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Jones,
Jerry
(Tour:
1949-1964)
Jerry joined Eddie in 1948. He could catch fly balls against
the outfield fence after starting from the shortstop position.
The fastest runner ever to play on the team, he could
run the infield in less than nine seconds! |
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Kehrer,
Bill
(Tour:
1962-1965 & 1970-1971)
Bill once hit a shot over the fence at the 386 foot mark
in Columbus, Ohio. An extremely funny man on the
field. Eddie encouraged him to try his hand at television
comedy. Bill enjoys life with his wife and children
at their home in Texas. |
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Kinzer,
Meade
(Tour:
1946-1958)
Meade was the original catcher for the King and his Court,
having caught for Eddie from grade school on. He was a
full power hitter and could have caught for Eddie from
a rocking chair. Meade spent his final years in College
Place, Washington.
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Knight,
Jack
(Tour:
1981-1989, 1992-1997, 1999-2001)
Pitched for the Hollywood All Stars before joining the
Court. A native of Somerville Massachusetts, served
in the U.S. Army and did some teaching before going to
work in New York. In New York, Knight appeared on Broadway
in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and in musical revivals
at Lincoln Center and The City Center. He relocated to
California in 1972. In television, he had a recurring
role on "Cheers", starred with Dom Deluise in "Lotsa Luck",
was a regular on "James at 16" and the variety shows of
Garry Moore, Susan Anton and Peter Marshall. He twice
guested on the "Tonight Show". He most recently appeared
in "JAG", "NYPD Blue", "Spin City", "All That" and "Nick
Cannon" on Nickelodeon.
In films, Knight appeared as a detective in "L.A. Confidential",
as an investigating patrolman in "Rosemary's Baby", an
NYPD detective in "The Sicilian Clan", and as Sheriff
Wyatt in "The Class of 1999 II". He will appear as a railroad
worker in Stephen Spielberg film "Catch Me If You Can".
Off-screen, Knight is an avid softball player. He has
pitched in 12 National Championship Tournaments and was
named a 1st Team All American in 1988. He has posted 44
no-hit games, including a perfect game in league play.
He is a member of the world-famous 4-man Softball Team,
The King and His Court.
Highlights in his memory are traveling with the Ball club,
chatting with JFK in the Rose Garden, being touched by
the Pope in Luxembourg, meeting the father of one of the
girls killed in the Birmingham Sunday School bombing,
standing on Pad 39 where three astronauts died in a training
accident, watching John Glenn go into space in 1962 at
Cape Canaveral, waving back to Queen Elizabeth in Hyde
Park and being present at the birth of his sons David
and John.
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Mackin,
Tim
(Tour:
1984-1988)
Tim is one of the greatest fast fastpitch hitters of all
time. He holds the Court record for one season of 321
homeruns in 220 games. He is now Recreation Director for
the city of Kelson, WA. |
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McGill,
Wayne
(Tour:
1966-1967)
Wayne hit well against the King during a game in Orlando,
FL. and was invited to join the team when Bill Kehrer
had to return home. A master mechanic who loves cars,
McGill retired when he discovered he had a blind spot
when hitting an in-raise. |
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Meilicke,
Mike
(Tour:
1946-1958 & 1960-1961)
Mike, according to Eddie, was the Ted Williams of softball.
He hit 86 homers in the 1953, 1954 season against the
greatest pitcher softball could produce at the height
of its popularity. |
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Moore,
Glen
(Tour:
1991)
Glen was the best pitcher for his age in the U.S. He is
the head coach for Baylor University in Waco, TX. looking
forward to the 2004 Olympics. |
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Potts,
Doug
(Tour:
1968 & 1983)
Doug played Short Stop on the Court for one season and
now has his own Insurance Agency in California.
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Van
Prooyen, Craig
(Tour:
1989)
Craig pitched in Six National and one World tournament.
He pitched relief for the King one season. |
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West,
Gary
(Tour:
1969-1977, 1981-1985, 1989-1996)
Gary was the funniest Sports Comedian on the circuit.
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White,
Ken
(Tour:
1946-1951)
Ken was the Court's original first baseman, and truly
a great power hitter. He once hit a ball down the
third base line so hard that when the 3rd baseman tried
to catch the ball in front of him, his hat went flying
and both shoes were knocked off his feet. Ken now
lives in Longview, WA. |
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