Yankees History: Chick Fewster Loses Speech After HBP
Standing in the batters box without a batting helmet must have been an act of bravery at times. On this day in 1920, it nearly resulted in tragedy, when Yankees utility player Chick Fewster was hit in the head and knocked unconscious for ten minutes.
Chances are, if anyone remembers Chick Fewster these days, it is because he was the first player to get an at bat in Yankee Stadium. However, he almost did not get the chance to have that honor, due to when he was hit in the head by a pitch on this day in 1920.
A utility player for the Yankees, Fewster was facing Jeff Pfeffer of the Dodgers in a Spring Training match. Pfeffer was known for his sweeping curve, and threw one to Fewster. This time, the ball did not break properly, and struck the utility player in the head behind the ear, knocking Fewster unconscious for ten minutes.
He came to, and was originally thought to have a severe bruise on his head. However, the next day, Fewster lost the ability to speak. He was sent to the hospital, where it was learned that he had a fractured skull and a blood clot in his brain. Given the severity of the situation, he was rushed to surgery.
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In order to remove the clot, a part of Fewster’s skull was removed, and would be replaced with a silver plate. At the time, it looked as though Fewster’s career was over, especially given his slow recovery.
Surprisingly, Fewster would make his way back to the diamond later that year. He got back into a game on July 3, but only played in 21 games that season. He had only 26 plate appearances however, as he was not yet quite ready to return for a full slate of action.
Fewster played for another six years afterwards, moving from the Yankees to the Red Sox, then on to the Indians and Dodgers. During that time, he appeared in over 100 games twice, but continued to serve as a valued backup, capable of playing virtually anywhere on the diamond. He may not have had a storied career, but the fact that his career did not end on this day in 1920 was fairly remarkable.
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Nonetheless, it was certainly a frightening moment for the Yankees utility man. Fortunately, even though he was severely injured due to being hit in the head by the pitch, Fewster was able to get back on the field and continue his career.