Rapid Robert Has Leukemia

[love_that_reefer]

Legendary Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller is being treated for leukemia.

Feller, 91, and the third oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, received 10 days of outpatient treatment at the Cleveland Clinic, missing the first five games of an Indians homestand, but he was back at his customary seat in the Progressive Field press box Sunday feeling better.

"I took about two quarts of blood," Feller told reporters. "My blood was down. I only had about half as much blood in my system as I'm supposed to have."

"So far, the evaluation is that I have not felt tired and don't need any more blood. We're very encouraged that everything is going to be all right. But it's going to take another two weeks or a month to really know exactly what's going on. But I'm going to see the doctor [on Monday] and have some more evaluations."

Feller, signed as a 17-year-old in 1936 by Cleveland, completely bypassed the minors and quickly made his mark on the major leagues, striking out a then-record 18 hitters in a game in 1938, his first full season in the big leagues.

Known as "Rapid Robert," Feller is one of baseball's great fireballers.

He went 266-162 in his 18-season career with a 3.25 ERA, striking out 2,581 hitters, the 26th most in major league history.

Feller pitched three no-hitters in his career, including the only one on Opening Day in major league history in 1940.

I hope Feller has a few more years in him because he has great stories to tell and for a person his age, he is still sharp as a tack. That said I do fear his days are getting numbered. I wonder if the technology we have today could measure just how fast this man could throw. Some say he is the reason radar guns were invented and others say they have never seen faster. Imagine a 17 year old striking out 18 MLBers in this day and age. Amazing. Get well Bob!

[realmofotalk]

At first glance of the title, I thought this was about Dave Roberts, who also has cancer. Get well, both of them.

[catman]

Bob Feller is one of the most entertaining men I've ever talked with. You never know what he'll talk about. Sometimes he talks about the kids he played ball with as a child and their antics, sometimes he talks about his professional career.
He is a tough man and I wish him the absolute best.

[Tobywan]

Get well Bob, get well Dave.