A Ray Chapman tribute (Aug 16th is tomorrow)

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Posted By: Ray Piskadlo

August 16th is the anniversary of the day Carl Mays hit Ray Chapman. It was the first pitch in the top of the 5th inning. To quote Mike Sowell's, The Pitch That Killed, "Chapman had died at 4:40 in the morning, Tuesday, August 17t. He was twenty-nine years old, the first casualty on a major-league diamond."

I know he isn't depicted on many cards, but thought it would be nice to do a Ray Chapman tribute here.



(Second row, second guy on the right)

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Posted By: Steve M.

the day the "King" died.

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Posted By: jim

A couple of Baseball Magazine Premiums from 1915 and the World Champion season of 1920. Nice tribute of him actually part of the 1920 premium. Middle row far left with "7" label for the 1915 team. 1920 Premium, he is front row, 4th from right.

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

Steve:

To which "King" are you referring - Elvis Presley or Babe Ruth?

Kevin

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

BF2 of Ray Chapman:



The young shortstop called up to take Chapman's spot:

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

Ray was the heart of the team. Hats off to the Indians for winning the World Series that year.




Frank

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

There is a very interesting story by Waite Hoyt that was published relating to an
event at Cleveland weeks before that fatal day that took Ray Chapman's life on
the ballfield. Washington vs Cleveland and Walter Johnson is pitching and in the
latter innings the fog started rolling off Lake Erie into the Stadium. Ray Chapman
was at bat and the "Big Train's" sidearm pitches were becoming faintly visible to
the batter. Chapman brought this to the attention of the Umpire, but the Ump re-
fused to stop the game. Understandably, Chapman was feared of getting struck by
one of those rising sidearm fast balls from Johnson which Ray no longer could see.

Walter Johnson sensed Chapman's concern and approached the Ump and told him
that it was to dangerous for him to continue pitching. With that, the Umpire did
stop the game.

The pitcher that threw the ball that struck Ray Chapman was Carl Mays.
He too, was a powerful sidearm pitcher like Johnson.

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Posted By: Bill Stone

Both Carl Mays and Ray Chapman were Kentuckians. Ray Chapman was born in Beaver Dam,Kentucky and Carl Mays was born in Liberty, Kentucky.