The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-17
RAYMOND CHAPMAN,
CLEVELAND PLAYER.
IS DEAD FROM BLOW
OF PITCHED BALL
Famous S hOrts top Dies
From Injuries Received
When Sphere Strikes
Him on Head

-NtW lOlht Aub' Is.-INdy
Chapman, shortstop on the CLEVELAND
American league, who was hit on the
head by ball thrown yesterday By
Pitcher Carl Mays of the New York
Americans died at the st. Lawrence
hospital this morning.
He never regained consciousness af-
ter the operation which was hurriedly
decided on shortly after midnight,
when a portion of his fractured skull
was removed by surgeons who hoped
that he might recover.
Shortly before it was decided to
operate, Manager Iris Speaker already
deeply apprehensive OF his condition
telephoned news Of the accident to
Chapmans wife in Cleveland, who i'm.
mediately started for New York.
News OF his death cast gloom over
the members of both teams and the
baseball world in general, and it was
considered quite probable early today
that todays game would be called
off. Carl Mays was overcome with
grief when the news was told to
him The accident occurred az the
outset of the fifth inning.
Chapman was the first batter up
and waso hit by the first ball pitch.
ed. So terrific was the blow that The
report of the impact caused spectators
to think the ball had struck the bat.
Mays, who pitched the ball, acting un.
der this impression. fielded the bal'
that rebounded half way to tho
pitchers box and threw it to first
base in order to retire Chapman.
Then it was noticed that Chapman
had collapsed at the home plate. He
was lifted TO his feet. by other play
ers, then he stood dazed for a mo.
ment, staggered and crumpled up az
their feet. Physicians were immediate
ly called from the grandstand and they
administered first aid still not know
ing that he had suffered fractured
skull. Two players, with Chapman $
arms about their shoulders, started
to walk him off the field. He ap'
peared to walk at first, almost unaided
but a few moments later his legs be.
came limp and he had 10 be carried
bodily to an ambulance.
Manager Iris Speaker and Business
Manager Walter Nichols of Cleveland
went to the hospital, Immediately
after the game and were at the in
stitution when the operation was per.
,rormed. The surgeons made an in.
cision three and one.halt inches long
throuXh the base of the skull on the
left side,
They discovered a rupture of tho
lateral sinus. and quantity Of clot-
ted blood. small piece of the skull
was removed.
The physicians at first entertained
a faint hope that the ball player would
recover, but he failed to rally.
Mays, in discussing the accident, said
that the ball he threw was sail
er"--one that breaks sharply on one
side, due usually to a rough spot on
one side of the cover. He asked for
another ball before pitching to Speak
er, who followed Chapman at tho
plate, and the ball which fatally in
jured the shortstop was thrown out
of the gam.
In baseball circles it was believed
that Chapman's death would serious
ly hamper Cleveland's chance of cap
turing the American league pennant,
He was a veteran and one of the
mainstays of the team.
Raymond Chapman was born in Nc
Henry, KY, January 10. 1891. He had
been a member of the Cleveland
American league team since August
80. 1912, and was considered one or
the best shortstops and most popu-
lar players in the game.
Chapman played his first profess
sional baseball in 1909, with Mt. Yer
non. H., In 1910 he went into Spring
field, H., and from there to Daven'
port, Iowa, in the Three-I league.
Cleveland first obtained Chapman
from Davenport in 1911 and sold him
to Toledo in the American Association
on option. He was recalled to Cleve-
land in 1912 and had played in more
than 900 games in Indian uniform.
Chapman was one OF the fastest men
in baseball On September 81 1917,
Tim Murnane.Day at Boston, he won
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