Harry E. Chapman, US Army (October 26, 1885-October 21, 1918)
The lone Federal League alumnus to die in the line of duty, the free-swinging Harry Chapman was a strong-armed catcher who bolted to a new league to make a name for himself.
A native of Severance, Kansas, Chapman’s pro baseball journey started for the Concordia Travelers of the Western Kansas League in 1910. Moving to the more established Western League and the Sioux City Packers, where he was a regular, the Chicago Cubs had interest and promoted Chapman to the big club where he played one game.
A trade to Cincinnati followed for another short two game spell in 1913. Jumping to the St. Louis Terriers of the newly formed Federal League, Chapman was a backup catcher who swung for the fences, and missed. In two years and 126 games, he hit .204, but smacked eight doubles, four triples and a home run. When he made contact, the ball flew.
After the Federal League folded in 1915, Baseball’s Greatest Sacrifices says the owner of the Terriers, Phil Ball, purchased the American League St. Louis Browns. Chapman followed and played the last 18 games of his big league career, spending 1916 and 17 with the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association.
Called into active service after the 1917 season, Chapman eventually caught the flu in the fall of 1918. Influenza lead to pneumonia and at State Hospital No. 3 in Nevada, Missouri, he died on October, 21.
Today, he rests at McPherson Cemetery in McPherson, Kansas.
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