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Exactly 100 years ago today, the most tragic event in MLB history occurred :( (Ray Chapman)

EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭
edited August 15, 2020 9:39PM in Sports Talk

Hard to believe but exactly 100 years ago today, the mos tragic event in MLB history occured when Carl Mays threw a fastball to Ray Chapman that tragically hit him in the head in just the wrong way and he died the next day from it. :( I hope and pray this remains the only player on-field fatality ever in MLB history, though even this one is one too many. :(

PS: Mr. Chapman also was born in nearby Beaver Dam, KY...or as my 5th grade teacher's friend would say, "Beaver Cuss"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Chapman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Mays
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/08/ray-chapman-11-things-to-know-100-years-since-the-sole-fatal-beaning-in-the-major-leagues.html

WISHLIST
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars

Comments

  • TabeTabe Posts: 6,062 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2020 11:34PM

    If you haven't read it, Mike Sowell's book on this subject, "The Pitch That Killed", is tremendous. Highly recommended.

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭

    RIP

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is a sad story, I never knew that happened.

  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am almost sure I heard this story long ago but had forgotten. Very sad. Thank you @Estil for posting this.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,019 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I once in high school batting practice took a fastball on my helmet ear protector from a pitcher who wound up signing for the Reds and made it as far as AA ball, so he had a decent fastball.

    It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it gave me a pretty good buzz for around ten seconds, then i stepped back in the batter's box and continued my batting practice reps. Nobody could believe i stepped back in after that, but as i told them, i needed the practice - LOL

    But thank goodness for batting helmets.

  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭

    Yes, that incident is all the more reason we got batting helmets.

    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 16, 2020 5:10PM

    @Tabe said:
    If you haven't read it, Mike Sowell's book on this subject, "The Pitch That Killed", is tremendous. Highly recommended.

    Wow I had no idea a whole book could be written about this :( Here it is for those who want to "virtually" check it out (yes if you have an account here you can do a "virtual" library checkout of sorts and "borrow" it for up to two weeks at a time). It makes sense once you actually sign up...

    https://archive.org/details/pitchthatkilled0000sowe/mode/2up

    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    I once in high school batting practice took a fastball on my helmet ear protector from a pitcher who wound up signing for the Reds and made it as far as AA ball, so he had a decent fastball.

    It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it gave me a pretty good buzz for around ten seconds, then i stepped back in the batter's box and continued my batting practice reps. Nobody could believe i stepped back in after that, but as i told them, i needed the practice - LOL

    But thank goodness for batting helmets.

    Glad you were ok. If that happened today, the incident probably would be handled differently.

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 9,137 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very interesting and tragic.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,019 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @thisistheshow said:

    @stevek said:
    I once in high school batting practice took a fastball on my helmet ear protector from a pitcher who wound up signing for the Reds and made it as far as AA ball, so he had a decent fastball.

    It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it gave me a pretty good buzz for around ten seconds, then i stepped back in the batter's box and continued my batting practice reps. Nobody could believe i stepped back in after that, but as i told them, i needed the practice - LOL

    But thank goodness for batting helmets.

    Glad you were ok. If that happened today, the incident probably would be handled differently.

    Thanks...and you're right, i would have probably been taken to the nurse or doctor and checked out, etc.

    I had long forgotten about this until now. There was a player on our high school football team who during practice and in a few games, must have been knocked out at least a dozen times over the course of a season. I don't mean groggy, i mean this guy was lying there out cold. I forget how the coaches used to revive him, i think it was with smelling salts. So they'd revive him and he'd go right back in and play. He was actually a pretty good football player.

    Nowadays, i would have to think that this student probably wouldn't be allowed to play football.

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I once in high school batting practice took a fastball on my helmet ear protector..........................It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it gave me a pretty good buzz for around ten seconds.

    I'm glad you're OK from that although it does bring some clarity to your posts!!! :p

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,019 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @keets said:
    I once in high school batting practice took a fastball on my helmet ear protector..........................It didn't knock me out or knock me down, but it gave me a pretty good buzz for around ten seconds.

    I'm glad you're OK from that although it does bring some clarity to your posts!!! :p

    Yea, says the Einstein of the forum. 😆

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