Cleveland Indians History: Ray Chapman Suffers Fractured Skull

In the history of Major League Baseball, only one player has died as a result of injuries sustained during the course of play. That happened on this day in 1920, when Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was hit by a pitch from New York Yankees hurler Carl Mays.

It happens all the time. A player crowds the plate, and is hit by a pitch, usually in the elbow or in the side. Every once in a while, that pitch just doesn’t break, and comes precariously close to hitting the batter in the head. It is a part of the game.

Such was the case on this day in 1920, when Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman went to bat against New York Yankees pitcher Carl Mays for his third plate appearance during the fifth inning. Mays, a submariner, threw a pitch that headed inside, freezing Chapman. The ball struck him in the head, and after he began to walk to the clubhouse, collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died the next day due to a fractured skull.

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This event shook the baseball world. Chapman was one of the more popular players in Cleveland, well liked by the fans and his teammates. Mays, meanwhile, was rather dour and taciturn, a surly fellow who kept to himself. Although it was an overcast day, and Chapman never moved as the pitch came in, casting doubt on if he ever saw it, Mays became the target of ire from the Indians and their fans.

Two actions came from this event. First, the spitball, a pitch that Mays threw, was banned, with current spitballers being grandfathered in. Given that Mays claimed the ball was wet and scuffed, causing it to sail in on Chapman, the ban made sense.

Second, the incident would follow Mays for the rest of his life. While he would have an excellent career, posting a 207-126 record with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.207 WHiP, he never received serious consideration for the Hall of Fame. This incident, as well as his general demeanour, has left him on the outside, despite favorable numbers.

It also cut short what may have been a Hall of Fame career for Chapman. Only 29 when he died, he was already over 1000 career hits, and had a solid .278/.358/.377 batting line. Had his career extended another decade, he could well have been in the discussion of Hall of Fame caliber shortstops.

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On this day in 1920, the baseball world was rocked as the Cleveland Indians lost a promising shortstop in the prime of his life, cut down by an errant pitch.