ˈæftɚɹ ɐtˈɛndɪŋ ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv ˌɪlənˈɔɪ, fˈɛlsk sˈaɪnd wɪððə ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ kˈʌbz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, bˌʌt hɪz ʃˈɔːɹtkʌmɪŋz æz ɐ bˈæɾɚ—ænd ðə dˌʊɹɹəbˈɪlᵻɾi ʌv ʃᵻkˈɑːɡoʊ bˈækstɑːp ɹˈændi hˈʌndli—kˈɛpt hˌɪm æt ðə mˈaɪnɚ lˈiːɡ lˈɛvəl ɛksˈɛpt fɔːɹ tˈuː æt bˈæts ɪnðə mˈɪdəl ʌvðə sˈiːzən.
After attending the University of Illinois, Felske signed with the Chicago Cubs in 1961, but his shortcomings as a batter—and the durability of Chicago backstop Randy Hundley—kept him at the minor league level except for two at bats in the middle of the  season.