Carl Mays
| Carl Mays | |||
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| Pitcher | |||
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Born: November 12, 1891 Liberty, Kentucky |
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Died: April 4, 1971 (aged 79) El Cajon, California |
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 15, 1915, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 24, 1929, for the New York Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 207–126 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.92 | ||
| Strikeouts | 862 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Carl William Mays (November 12, 1891 – April 4, 1971) was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1915 to 1929. Although he won over 200 games, 27 in 1921 alone, and was a member of three world championship teams, Mays is primarily remembered for throwing the beanball that killed Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians on August 16, 1920. Chapman became the only Major League player to die as a direct result of an on-field injury.
According to his World War I draft card, Carl William Mays was born November 12, 1892 in Atterson, Kentucky. His father was a Methodist minister named William Henry Mays. Carl had a strict upbringing as a child. Much like legendary pitcher Christy Mathewson, Mays refused to pitch on Sundays. He was known for a habit of throwing inside to any batter who hugged the plate. Despite a stellar win/loss record, Mays was typically among the American League leaders in hit batsmen.
When Mays was 12, his father died. Mays internalized his grief, settling into a surly persona. He had very few friends in the baseball world. His best personal support group was a couple named Pierce and Genevieve Mays. Pierce may have been related to Carl, and the couple served as a surrogate uncle and aunt to Carl.
In 1915, while a member of the Boston Red Sox, Mays was in a heated confrontation with Ty Cobb of the Tigers. Mays threw at Cobb each time he came to bat. In the eighth inning, after a close pitch, Cobb threw his bat in Mays' direction, calling him a "no good son of a bitch." Mays responded by calling Cobb a "yellow dog." After order was restored, Mays hit Cobb directly on the wrist. The Tigers won the game 6–1 and the incident cemented Mays' reputation as a head hunter.
The Yankees were trailing when Ray Chapman came to the plate in the fifth inning on August 16, 1920. Mays was pursuing his 100th career win that day. Chapman had a sacrifice bunt in the first inning and popped up to Yankee first baseman Wally Pipp in the third. Angered that Chapman was crowding the plate, Mays let loose with a high fastball that he claimed was in the strike zone but that Chapman apparently never saw. The impact of the ball striking Chapman in the head was so loud that Mays thought it had hit Chapman's bat. Mays caught the ball as it bounced onto the field and threw it to Pipp at first base. Chapman fell to the ground twice trying to make his way to first base. Cleveland teammate and long-time friend Tris Speaker raced from the on deck circle to check on Chapman. He was joined by several players from the Indians and Yankees. Mays, however, never left the mound.
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