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Ray Chapman ( January 15, 1891 - August 17, 1920) was an American League shortstop for the Cleveland teams Naps (1912-1914) and Indians (1915-1920). Chapman was born in Beaver Dam, Kentucky. He remains the only Major League Baseball player to have been killed in a game. His death was one of the reasons the spitball was outlawed.

Chapman was struck by a pitch August 16th in a game against the New York Yankees. Carl Mays threw the pitch that struck him in the head. Chapman died twelve hours later in a hospital in New York, New York.

Cleveland players wore black arm bands to honor Chapman, and manager Tris Speaker1911 American Tobacco Company baseball card (Gold Borders (T205). Tristram E. Speaker ( April 4, 1888 December 8, 1958) was a star player in Major League Baseball, and is generally regarded as the best defensive center fielder to ever play the game. Speak lead the team to win both the pennant and the first World ChampionshipIn baseball, the World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball in North America, played in October after the end of the regular season between the pennant winner of the American League and the pennant winner of the National League. in the history of the club.

After Chapman's terrible death, Joe SewellJoseph Wheeler Sewell ( October 9, 1898 March 6, 1990) was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. He holds the record for the lowest strikeout rate in major league history, striking out on average only once every took his place at shortstop. Sewell batted .329 with 12 RBIIn baseball statistics, a run batted in RBI is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batter's plate appearance. There are certain exceptions: a player does not receive an RBI if he hits into a double play, if an error is charged on the in 22 games. Sewell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum based in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests that serves as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in North America, the display of baseball-related a in 1977.

Chapman led the American League in runs scored and walksIn baseball statistics, a base on balls BB , also called a walk is used in baseball to track the performance of pitchers and batters. If a batter receives four pitches which the umpire calls balls, he is entitled to "walk" to first base. Receiving a base in 1918. A top-notch bunter, Chapman is 6th on the all-time list for sacrifice hits. Only Stuffy McInnis has more sacrifices for right-handed batters. Chapman was also an excellent shortstop who lead the league in putouts three times and assists once. He batted.300 three times; led the Indians in stolen bases four times, and set a team record of 52 stolen bases which stood from 1917 to 1980. He was hitting .303 with 97 runs when he died. Baseball analyst Bill James has said that Chapman was "probably destined for the Hall of Fame had he lived."