Aug. 16, 1920

In the fifth inning at the Polo Grounds, Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman is batting in his peculiar crouch and crowding the plate, as he normally does. New York Yankees right-hander Carl Mays throws a submarine-style pitch, as he normally does.

The fastball sails up and in on Chapman, who ducks his head - but not enough. The ball strikes him on the left temple and bounces back toward Mays. Some, including Mays, think the pitch had hit Chapman's bat because of the resounding crack, but quickly realize their error when they see Chapman fall to the ground.

Assisted by his teammates, Chapman begins the long walk to the clubhouse in center-field before he collapses and is carried the rest of the way. He recovers consciousness just briefly. An operation on his fractured skull proves unsuccessful and early the next morning Chapman will pass away, the only fatality to occur in a major league game. Ray Chapman was 29.