Best Season: 1920
Chapman was playing the best baseball of his career when he fell to the beaning. He was hitting .303 with a .380 OBP and was on pace to set career-highs in runs, doubles, homers, RBI, and hits. His only challengers for best shortstop in the American League were Roger Peckinpaugh and Deacon Scott.

Factoids
On June 20, 1914, Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman committed four errors in the fifth inning, tying a ML record.

The Roller Coaster 1917 Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians of 1917 finished in third place, well back of the Chicago White Sox, but they were an interesting team. They won 32 of their last 47 games to finish 88-66. From August 31 to September 24, they won 17 of 20 to race past the Detroit Tigers in the standings. During a ten-game winning streak through September 24, Chapman batted .517 with four steals of home.

Born
Raymond Johnson Chapman was born on January 15, 1891, in Beaver Dam, KY.

Died
August 17, 1920, New York, NY

Batted: Right
Threw: Right

Primary Position: SS

Primary Team: CLE

Major League Debut
August 30, 1912

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1912
Rabbit Maranville
Cy Williams
Del Pratt
Bobby Veach
Ray Schalk
Casey Stengel
Buck Weaver
Ray Chapman
Herb Pennock

Nicknames
Chappy

Similar Players
Dickie Thon

Related Players
Carl Mays, Joe Sewell, Mickey Cochrane

Hall of Fame Voting

Year Election Votes Pct

1938 BBWAA 1 .4%

Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
After Chapman's death, the fans in Cleveland were understandably upset. So much so that many stopped going to the park and ignored the team's temporary slump (2-7 in the games immediately following his death). "So stunned was Cleveland fandom by the death of its popular idol," The Sporting News reported, "that in the shadow of his loss, the sinking of the Indians in the pennant race has aroused little comment. There is no longer the interest in the games there was before the disaster. If the penant is lost—and it looks now very much like the White Sox will win out—there will be no recriminations." Of course, the Indians rallied, winning 24 of 31 starting August 30th, and nipped the White Sox by two games. The Sox had a distraction of their own: on September 13, details of a scandal were revealed that involved eight Chicago players throwing the 1919 World Series. Amidst this great turmoil, the 1920 American League pennant race was battled.

Replaced
In 1912, the Indians had three young shortstops, all with varying degrees of promise: Ivy Olson, Roger Peckinpaugh, and Ray Chapman. At the time it wasn't clear which of them would emerge as the team's regular shortstop. Peckinpaugh came up in 1910 and then spent a full season in the minor leagues as a 20-year old in 1911. Cleveland started the 1912 season with Olson at short and Peckinpaugh as his caddie. 21-year old Chapman joined the club in August. By that time, Harry Davis, Peckinpaugh's biggest advocate, had been replaced as Cleveland manager by Joe Birmingham, the team's center fielder. Birminghamn, a popular player with the fans who was called "Dode" by almost everyone, didn't think Peckinpaugh would hit enough to play every day in the big leagues, and for whatever reason (perhaps his 27 errors at shortstop in 56 games), had also benched Olson. Enter Chapman, who hit .312 with 29 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in 21 games in his first taste of big league play. Olson stayed with the Tribe for two more seasons, where he was tried at third base and then as a utlity player. Though he performed adequately, there just wasn't enough room for him and he was purchsed by the Reds after the 1914 campaign. Peckinpaugh rusted on the Clevelad bench until he was traded to the Yankees on , 1913, for two scrubs. Chapman starred for the Indians until his death in 1920, but Olson and Peckinpaugh did okay too. Peckinpaugh played 17 seasons in the big leagues and was part of hree pennant-winning teams with the Yanks and Senators. Olson became a fan-favorite in Brooklyn, despite his shaky glove, playing for that team for ten years through 1924.

Replaced By
After Chapman's terrible death, the Indians called Joe Sewell up to take his place at short. Sewell batted .329 with 12 RBI in 22 games down the stretch as the Tribe nosed out the White Sox for the pennant. The youngster struggled in the Series but Cleveland still won their first title. Sewell earned his spot at shortstop and won over Cleveland fans with his batting skills. In 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1927 he finished in the top ten in MVP voting. He hit .320 in his eleven seasons with Cleveland and only Harry Heilmann and Babe Ruth had more hits from 1920-1930. After three seasons with the Yankees, Sewell retired and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977, assuming a station in baseball history that it seemed Chapman was destined for.

Best Strength as a Player
His defensive range and his patience at the plate.

Largest Weakness as a Player
Power

Learn More about Ray Chapman
Search Amazon.com for Books about Ray Chapman ⇒
Search for Ray Chapman at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒

Find a Player

Hall of Famers
Top 100 of all-time
Players with bios
Browse player index