Baseball Diamond Fit for a 'King' Friday, September 01, 2006 By MC3 Tim Wightman - Navy Compass Sailors Entertained by King and His Court at ASW Base The "King and His Court" took their softball show to the FASW softball field for a scrimmage against the Pt. Loma All-Stars Aug. 25. The "Court" is a traveling softball team that is to the world of baseball and softball what the Harlem Globetrotters are to basketball; only the Globetrotters have a full team, the Court makes due with four players in a nine-man game. The "King" would be Eddie Feigner. Back in 1946, he was a hotshot, young, strong-armed pitcher whose team had just annihilated the opposing team in a game in Pendleton, Oregon.

Jason Fisher swings hard at a pitch during the King and His Court's exhibition game at FASW Aug. 25. Official U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Tim Wightman

The opposing team's manager, frustrated by the loss and by Feigner's cocky words, issued an unusual challenge to Feigner to come back with only his catcher, short-stop and first baseman for a rematch.
A week later 400 fans showed up for the rematch - which saw Feigner strike out 19 batters in seven innings en route to his four-man team winning 7-0. "The King and His Court" was born.
Unfortunately Feigner, now in his 80s, was experiencing some health problems and couldn't make it to the game.
The Court's second eldest-statesman next to Feigner, First Baseman Jack Knight, took to the mic before the game and introduced his team to the crowd.
"We have a show to do here today ... pretty much not like a regular game," Knight said.
"This is a team of all stars, and we only have four players. Having more than that wouldn't be fair, and besides, the boss won't pay for a fifth guy."
He then sang to the crowd a patriotic song that he wrote, which he performed from just inside the pitcher's mound. His singing and songwriting skills are on par with his ball-playing, both are excellent.
Knight wasn't kidding when he called what the Court does a "show."
Sixty-year-old Pitcher Rich Hoppe routinely delivered through-the-legs and behind-the-back pitches with impressive velocity and mixed in a blind-folded pitch at the end as a tribute to Feigner.
The rules for base-running were even more lenient than they were for pitching. Knight and Hoppe would hit the ball and run to whichever base they felt they could reach the easiest.
On one occasion Hoppe had reached first base and gave the bunt sign to the batter by doing the "Macarena."
On another occasion, Base-Runner Jason Fisher, having gotten stuck between second and third base, reached up and intercepted the Pt. Loma All Star third baseman's throw to the second baseman.
Throughout the game, Hoppe and Knight loudly conversed with each other while on the field. Frequently they involved the Pt. Loma players in the joke.
"Hey Jack! This kid's 19 that's batting;" Hoppe said referring to a Pt. Loma player, "don't you have underwear older than that?"
"Yeah, I'm wearing them."
After the game, Sailors talked about their impressions of the event.
"I liked all the extra high jinks they did and some of the pitches they threw," said Sonar Technician (Surface) Seaman Leland Reed. "I liked it a lot. I'd definitely come back if they ever did it again."
Chief Fire Controlman (SW/AW) Glenn Harris also liked what he saw.
"It was an incredible experience; it was an honor to be here," Harris said. "I thought it was great how they could manipulate the batter into holding the bat (a certain way) and then tricking them into doing things."
Hoppe talked about what playing for the military means to him and the rest of the team.
"Playing for the military, especially being a disabled Vietnam Vet, and Eddie being a former Marine and Jack having served in the military, we feel like we owe it to the service members. We've done it all over the world for them.
"It's as special for us as it is for the (military teams we play) and for all the military who come out to see us."

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