Bob Feller

Bob Feller is my favorite professional athlete of all time.  When LeBron James left the Cavaliers (the team that made him a multi-millionaire, covered his weaknesses, offered him the maximum salary, gave him approval of team members and coaches)   some people defended him I reminded everyone about Rapid Robert. 

When it was apparent Feller would be a great pitcher Mountain Landis, the head of baseball, ruled his contract illegal and claimed teams could bid on him (New York had the most money and the inside track).  Feller and his Dad told Landis that Cleveland made a respectable offer, they had agreed to it, and a man is no better than his word.  Oh, they also told Landis that they were about to file suit against him, the American League, and Major League Baseball.  Landis ended the bidding and awarded the contract for Feller to Cleveland.

You have to remember that Landis was the bigot who would not allow African Americans to play in the major leagues and not one owner stood-up to publicly stop him. 

He also enlisted in the Navy on December 9, 1941 (Pearl Harbor was December 7^th), the first member of baseball to do so.  He had a deferment as the sole support for his Father and Mother and the ability to be named an officer and do his service in public relations.  Instead he served on the USS Alabama in the North Atlantic and Pacific, and worked his way up to Chief Petty Officer.