CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians are honoring the memory of beloved Cleveland shortstop, Raymond Johnson Chapman, in an Instagram video posted to the team's account.
August 17, 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the tragic death of Chapman, who was struck in the head by a pitch from New York Yankees pitcher, Carl Mays.
Though the incident happened on August 16 at the Polo Grounds in New York, Chapman did not pass away until 12 hours later at a hospital in the Empire State.
The Society for American Baseball Research reports that Chapman's wife, Katherine, was pregnant with the couple's first child at the time of the accident. Katherine was immediately called up to New York and reportedly fainted upon learning of his death.
Chapman is buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland and his grave site has become a dedicated memorial for baseball lovers everywhere.
The Indians erected a plaque in honor of Chapman in September of 1920. The plaque was put into storage over time but was pulled back out in 2007 and placed on display in Heritage Park at Progressive Field, where it remains to this day.
