Bob Feller
A farm boy with a blistering fastball who became a wartime naval hero and one of baseball's most dominant and durable pitchers.
1918–2010 (age 92)·American baseball pitcher·Birthday: November 3·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bob Feller exploded onto the baseball scene not from the minor leagues, but straight from an Iowa cornfield. Signed by the Cleveland Indians at 17, his fastball was already a thing of myth, earning him nicknames like 'Rapid Robert.' He didn't just live up to the hype; he defined an era of power pitching, throwing three no-hitters and twelve one-hitters. At the peak of his career, he became one of the first major league players to enlist after Pearl Harbor, serving with distinction as a gun captain on the USS Alabama for nearly four full seasons. He returned to win 266 games and lead the Indians to a World Series title in 1948. Feller's combination of sheer velocity, competitive fire, and patriotic sacrifice made him a symbol of American resilience.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bob was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2010Died at 92
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Pitched three no-hitters and twelve one-hitters, including the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history in 1940.
- Led the American League in strikeouts seven times and in victories on six occasions.
- Was a key pitcher for the Cleveland Indians team that won the 1948 World Series.
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility.
Did You Know?
He made his MLB debut at age 17 and struck out 15 batters in his first complete game.
He lost nearly four full seasons to service in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
He was the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season before turning 21.
After retirement, he was known for traveling to induction ceremonies for new Hall of Famers to personally congratulate them.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again.”
