Former SMU Linebacker Byron Hunt

[MrMustang1965]

SUFFERN — When the Giants won two Super Bowls in five years from 1986-1990, linebacker Byron Hunt had no problem making tackles and wide receiver Odessa Turner had little difficulty hauling in spirals. But standing in a batter's box just 46 feet from blazing fastballs and trick changeups from The King and His Court can make even former professional athletes come to their knees.

Eddie "The King" Feigner and his famed foursome of softball legends appeared at Suffern Little League Field last night to take on former Giants Super Bowl champions and staff members from Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern to help raise money and awareness for the hospital's chemical-dependency unit.

Several hundred fans came out to watch the event, as it isn't so much of a game. Feigner even joked to the fans, "Don't worry about the score — that's already been taken care of."

Feigner, 80, is in a wheelchair, so the show is in the hands of his Court, which consists of longtime players Rich Hoppe and Jack Knight, 19-year-old protege Mike Callis and Feigner's wife, Ann Marie, or "The Queen." It is Hoppe, though, who has learned from the legend how to strike out batters with the greatest of ease.

"I had heard of them before," said 25-year-old Sloatsburg native Mike Martone, who came to watch his longtime friend Matt Neyland, who played for the Good Samaritan All-Stars. "But this is a great show. It's pretty cool."

Martone was just one of many fans standing behind home plate watching Hoppe, a Bayonne, N.J., native, blaze windmill fastballs behind his back and through his legs. But Hoppe still does not compare to what Feigner was able to do in his prime.

Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays and Pete Rose are just a few of the baseball greats who desperately tried to make contact with Feigner's pitches, but simply joined the thousands of others whose attempts were futile.

Armed with just a catcher, first baseman, shortstop and pitcher, The King and His Court are quite a spectacle to watch, similar to what the Harlem Globetrotters have done for years in basketball.

"You'll be amazed how four guys can make nine look so silly," said Suffern Mayor Jim Giannettino, who threw out the honorary first pitch.

Wes Anderson, the case manager for the Behavioral Management Department at Good Samaritan, met Feigner almost 25 years ago, and was integral in bringing The King back to Suffern. But Anderson did not play with his co-workers; he donned the catcher's gear and bravely got behind home plate to try to catch softballs darting up and down and in and out.

Once Anderson knew that The King and His Court would be here, it was only fitting that Hunt got involved. Through his group Byron Hunt Sports, the former linebacker schedules local appearances to help raise money for all sorts of different causes.

"I wanted to put together a partnership with Wes (Anderson) to help raise awareness," said Hunt, the Giants' ninth-round draft choice out of Southern Methodist University in 1990.

Along with Hunt and Turner were ex-Giants safety Perry Williams, who also was on both championship teams, and running back Billy Taylor.

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 00316/1108

[originaloverthehilltop1]

thanks for the great story, 65! This is exactly the kind of thing i like to see on this message board. kudos to whoever first suggested this.

[DiamondM]

This article confuses the heck out of me. If Byron Hunt was a draft pick in 1990 out of SMU, he would not have played on any of the Giants' superbowl teams mentioned in the first sentence of the article.

Moreover, I think that the Byron Hunt that I knew who played at SMU graduated high school in 1989 or 1990 and graduated SMU in 1993 or 1994 (he dated my sophmore year roommate in the spring of 1992 and was buddies with Raymond Van Beveren). Was there another Byron Hunt that played before he arrived? And did the Byron Hunt that supposedly graduated in 1990 really get drafted after only 1 season of playing on the SMU team fresh back from the death penalty?

Maybe, I'm remembering something wrong, but I just think these facts are screwed up somehow. Can someone with a better memory remind me about this Byron Hunt?

[Stallion]

he was a star 6-5 DE for SMU circa 1977-1980. Played with NY Giants from 1981-1988. Counsin of the great Tweedie Hunt the 5-11, 285 pound nose guard who was the inspirational leader of the SMU defense when it reemerged in the late 1970s. I believe you are thinking of Byron Bonds who is Brandon Bonds' brother.

[SMUBob83]

Byron Hunt was a soft-spoken, gentlemanly guy at SMU when most of the athletes were .......................... not.

We were in a few political science classes together. My recollection is that he was gone just before the Cotton Bowl team ...... but I could be wrong about that.