Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1920 — PITCHED BALL KILLS RAY CHAPMAN, CLEVELAND STAR [ARTICLE]

PITCHED BALL KILLS RAY CHAPMAN, CLEVELAND STAR

Ray Chapman, for the past eight years star short stop of the Cleveland American League base ball club, died in a New York hospital Tuesday, the result of being hit in the head by a ball pitched by Carl Mays, New York pitcher, in Monday’s game. The impact was plainly heard by the spectators in the stands who thought that Chapman had struck the ball with his bat. Mays was under the same impression and Yielded the ball, which rebounded half way to the pitcher’s slab, to first base, only to discover that Chapman was lying on the ground by the plate. Chapman regained ! consciousness in a few moments and with the assistance of two of his mates started to the club house but collapsed again before getting off the field. He was rushed to a hospital and 1 placed in charge of skilled surgeons < who found his condition so bad that: an operation was imperative. The operation was performed at midnight and it was found that Chapman was suffering from a fractured skull. He passed away at 4:45 o’clock without regaining consciousness. The death of Chapman removes one of the-most popular and skilled! infielders in major league base ball. Ray Chapman was a gentleman in every sense of the word and one of the type which has raised the great American game to such a high plane of cleanliness and sportsmanship. Clean, wholesome and manly he contributed to the high standard of baseball in every way by his deportment on and off the field. Base .ball needs men like Ray Chapman and his death has cast a pall over the entire base ball world. Mays is inconsolable and following the accident went to his room in the hotel where he denied himself even to his closest friends. The Yankee star has been exonerated by Tris Speaker, the manager of the Clevelands and by the police ( officials. Following the accident, hasty action was started by the Boston and Detroit clubs toward having Mays baired from further participation in big base baH. The Washington and St. Louis elute followed suit later in the day and it is understood that a petition wul ( be sent to Ban Johnson, head of the league, asking his removal. How-, ever? it is probable that the rati-1 tion will have but little effect League officials immediately took action to stamp out the adverse criticism of the pitcher. The action of-, the players was not taken with the belief that Mays would deliberately hit a player with the intent of doing him injury but is the result of Mays’ use of the which he has resorted

“bean” oan wmcn iw to in the past to drive a batter away from the plate. Mays has been known as a “duster off’ by the players throughout the circuit during his entire big league League officials have permitted the use of the “bean” ball, however, and .Mays was only using a privilege granted a pitcher, and should not be censured too much. It was an unavoidable accident and is recognized as such by the more level

headed. . I The absence of Chapman from , the Cleveland lineup will undoubtedly cost the club the pennant, as next to Manager Speaker he was recognized as the most cog in the Cleveland Cleveland is leading the league at the present time by a slender m the Detroit short stop, has volunteered his services to the .Cleveland club for thereminder of * I the season in order that that club |“® he deprived of its pennant Kees trough the untimely end of Chapman, but no doubt prevent his transfer. The players will wear mourning on their uniforms the remainder of the week and flags will be at halt mast in all major league parks