These days, Ray Chapman is remembered as the only major league player to die as a result of injuries suffered on the diamond. He was much more than the answer to a trivia question during his career.
A good contact hitter, Chapman was one of the all time leaders when it came to a sacrifice bunt. He had 334 sacrifices, leading the league three times, and ranking sixth all time. He was also adept at getting on base, leading the league with 84 walks in 1918, and notching 1053 hits at 29 years old.
Unfortunately, Chapman’s career was cut tragically short. Facing submariner Carl Mays, Chapman was hit in the head by a pitch that he may have never seen, as reports claim that he never moved. As it was nearing dusk, and the ball itself was dark from being in play, that explanation is certainly possible. Chapman suffered a fractured skull, collapsing after he started to walk to the clubhouse. Rushed to the hospital, he passed away the next day.
Had he seen that pitch and been able to get out of the way, Chapman could have ended up in the Hall of Fame. He was regarded as an excellent defensive player, which was important at short. Chapman had also produced a .278/.358/.377 batting line with those 1053 hits and 238 steals. With another decade, he could have been close to 2500 hits and 500 stolen bases. Those numbers at short, coupled with his defense, would have given him an interesting case.