Ray Chapman
Shadows and Light
Ray Chapman spent his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians. While Chapman had a respectable career, he is most famous for his death.
On August 17, 1920, the Indians were playing the New York Yankees in New York, and Chapman was up to bat. Yankee pitcher Carl Mays threw the ball and unintentionally hit Chapman in the head. He died 12 hours later.
Reports from Mays stated that the ball hit Chapman’s skull with such force that it sounded like the ball had hit his bat, causing Mays to field the ball to first base, believing it was still in play. Chapman remains the only player in baseball history to die from injuries sustained during a game.
