 Feller joined the Indians and made his Major League debut on July 19 , 1936 in a relief appearance against the Washington Senators . A month later on August 23 , Feller made his first career start against the St. Louis Browns . Indians manager Steve O 'Neill had Denny Galehouse warmed up in the bullpen in case the 17 @-@ year @-@ old Feller had early troubles , but he struck out all three batters he faced in the first inning , and recorded 15 strikeouts in earning his first career win . His strikeout total was the highest for a ( starting ) pitching debut . Two weeks later , he struck out 17 batters , tying a single @-@ game strikeout record previously set by Dizzy Dean , in a win over the Philadelphia Athletics . He finished the season with a 5 – 3 record , having appeared in 14 games ; he had 47 walks and 76 strikeouts in 62 innings . Feller 's fame reached such a level that when he returned to Van Meter for his senior year of high school , the governor of Iowa greeted him . His record @-@ setting rookie year made him , according to baseball writer Richard Goldstein , " the best @-@ known young person in America , with the possible exception of Shirley Temple . " Feller 's entrance to the big leagues was later described : 
