Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-08-19
CHAPMAN O|ES;
MAYS NOT BLAMED
Blow on Head from Pitched Ball
Proves Fatal Injury-Some
Players Would Danish Mays
from the Diamond

New York, Aug. 17.-New York baseball
fans paid final tribute tonight to Ray
Chapman. shortstop Of the Cleveland
American team, whose death resulted
early to-day from the blow he received
on the head from a pitched ball In the
game between New York and Cleveland
yesterday. Chapman's body was placed
aboard the Lake Shore Limited which
left the Grand Central station at $3.50
O'Clock tonight and is scheduled to ar
rive in Cleveland tomorrow morning at
$40 o'clock.
| During the day, while the players body
lay at the undertaker's rooms. hundreds
OF baseball fans called there to view 1t
and tonight a large crowd gathered at
the Grand Central station. The assemblage
acted an escort as the coffin was
placed on a trunk car that carried 1t
through the station to the train. The fans
formed an aisle near the gates and stood
with barred heads rs the car bearing the
body OF the dead ball player passed
through.
While the death Of Chapman has caused
sorrow among baseball magnates, play
er1 and fans none seemed as deeply
grieved over the accident as Carl Mays.
the New York pitcher. who delivered the
ball in yesterdays game that resulted
| in Chapmans death. After the game
yesterday Mays went to his room and de-
| MED himself to all even his intimate
friends and teammates on the New York
club. He paced the floor Of his room
during the night and when word came
! to him to-day that Chapman had died
the pitcher broke down completely and
said he desired to give himself up to the
district attorney as soon as possible.
On his visit to the district attorneys
office. Mays was accompanied by Charles
McManus. business manager OF the yam
KEGS; Manager Iris Speaker and Secre-
tary Walter McNichols Of the Cleveland
club Mays made his statement to
Assistant District Attorney John F.
Joyce. The pitcher. who filed with tears
and barely able to tell his story. said:
1T was a straight fast ball and not
curved one. When Chapman came to bat
] got the signal for a straight fast ball
which I delivered. 1t was little too
close and saw Chapman duck his head
in an effort to get out of the path OF the
ball He was too late however, and a sec
ond later he fell to the ground. 1t was
the most regrettable incident Of my ca
reer and I would give anything II could
undo what has happened"
After hearing Mays story, Mr.. Joyce
said he thought Chapmans death was
purely accidental
Manager Iris Speaker Of the Cleveland
club, talking with Colonel T. l.. Houston.
one of the owners Of the Yankees. said
the accident was unavoidable.
81 do not hold Mays responsible in any
way" he added. IT have been active In
discourag ing my players from holding
Mays responsible, and in respect to
Chapman's memory as we'll az for the
good OF baseball. ! hope all talk Of this
kind will stop. can realize that Mays
feels this thing as deeply as any man
could, and I do not want to add anything
to his burden. l do not know what
prompted the action Of the Boston and
Detroit players For my part think 1t
is deplorable."
Dispatches from Boston to-day said the
. Detroit and Boston players planned to
draw up a petition asking for the Danish
ment from organized baseball Of Mays.
3 Baseball experts here declared to-
} day that cases of batters being killed
, by pitched balls in professional games
, were very rare. In the memory of the
Oldest followers of the sport not more
than two or three have met their
death in this way. The most recent OF
! these was the death of John Dodge OF
the Southern Association. who was
5 killed about three years ago.
!
jury happened last spring when JEFF
Pfeffer OF Brooklyn hit Chick FewsteI
s OF the New York Americans on the
i head Fewster was out Of the game fol
Q several weeks and Pfeffer's game was
, so affected by the accident that he wat
5 not used for nearly month.
l Many years ago case which at
!, tracted wide attention was the injury
r to Hugh Jennings now manager of the
4 Detroit Americans, who was struck b,
a ball pitched by Amos Rusie Of the
v New York Nationals.
1 John A. Heydler. president of thu
= National League announced that flag
|. at all National League parks would b.
n flown at half staff for the remainder
of the week and that players woult
wear mourning insignias. He expressed
great personal grief at the death o.
Cha pman.
Most of the players here discoun
reports from Boston and other placer
that there is serious opposition to per
J.. hitting Mays to play in subsequen
}. games.
h Boston. Aug. IA decision to consul
l. Manager Speaker OF the Cleveland Ameri
J. cans before taking any action TOWARD
!; asking that Carl Mays. pitcher OF tn
IA New York team, be barred from furthe
'; participation in organized baseball, wa
" reached by members Of the Boston ant
= Detroit teams after a meeting to-day
: Several of the players expressed tn
l. opinion that some move OF this kint
should be made as result Of the dealt
d OF Ray Chapman OF Cleveland. who wa
Y hit on the head by ball pitched by May
y yesterday.
shortstop Bush Of the Detroit team
announced that ne was prepared to vol
unteer his services to the Cleveland clul
for the rest Of the season n sanction o
z the league offcials could be obtained
Sentiment among his fellow players indi
:. Gated that no opposition TO such an ar
rangement wac probable from members o