 Throughout his career , Feller played exhibition games during the off @-@ season , playing in towns unaccustomed to seeing major league ballplayers . His exhibition tours often featured other big leaguers and Negro League players , like Satchel Paige , who was also a teammate of Feller 's with the Indians . Other players included Stan Musial , Mickey Vernon , and Jeff Heath . During a barnstorming tour in 1945 , Feller pitched against Jackie Robinson after he had been signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers . He told a reporter in Los Angeles he believed Robinson was too muscle @-@ bound to succeed against pitching in the major leagues although Robinson recorded two hits off Feller . Players had to notify the Commissioner of Baseball , A.B. " Happy " Chandler , before participating in exhibitions games and were not allowed to begin games before the conclusion of the major @-@ league season . Feller wrote to Chandler , challenging the league 's limit on the number of games that were allowed to be played and proposing an increase ; the Commissioner agreed to Feller 's proposal . To minimize travel time , Feller employed airplanes , such as two DC @-@ 3s in 1947 , to transport players from town to town . Feller 's involvement , as well as that of other major league players , was the subject of meetings between the Commissioner and AL and NL presidents . 
