Wife of Cleveland Indians Baseball Player Ray Chapman, the only Major League Player to die from a beaning. Born into a wealthy Cleveland Family, she originally met Ray when he joined the Cleveland Indians. Ray Chapman was to have retired at the end of the 1920 season to work in his wife's family business, unfortunately, it was not to be. On Monday, August 16th, 1920, in the fifth inning of a game at the Polo Grounds between the Yanks and Indians, Chapman was hit in the head on a 1-1 pitch by Yanks pitcher Carl Mays. Chapman was rushed to St. Lawrence hospital in Manhattan, while Tris Speaker of the Indians informed Katie Chapman by telephone of the accident. Katie immediatley left for New York by train but arrived too late. Ray died early the next morning, emergency surgery having failed to save his life. Katie at the time was pregnant with the couple's first child, and was sedated upon her arrival in New York. After Ray's death, she bravely continued on, mostly on the strength of knowing that her baby was soon to be born. She eventually gave birth to a baby girl, Rae. Eventually, Katie remarried a wealthy business man, J. F. McMahon of Los Angeles, and moved to California. The couple had a son, J.F. McMahon Jr. Relatives noticed though that even with her new life, she was still unhappy. Still suffering from bouts of depression because of her beloved Ray's death, she eventually committed suicide by drinking cleaning fluid in 1928. Daughter Rae, stayed in California with her step-father after her mothers suicide, but tragically died from the measels in 1929. Both mother and daughter were taken back to Cleveland for burial.
Wife of Cleveland Indians Baseball Player Ray Chapman, the only Major League Player to die from a beaning. Born into a wealthy Cleveland Family, she originally met Ray when he joined the Cleveland Indians. Ray Chapman was to have retired at the end of the 1920 season to work in his wife's family business, unfortunately, it was not to be. On Monday, August 16th, 1920, in the fifth inning of a game at the Polo Grounds between the Yanks and Indians, Chapman was hit in the head on a 1-1 pitch by Yanks pitcher Carl Mays. Chapman was rushed to St. Lawrence hospital in Manhattan, while Tris Speaker of the Indians informed Katie Chapman by telephone of the accident. Katie immediatley left for New York by train but arrived too late. Ray died early the next morning, emergency surgery having failed to save his life. Katie at the time was pregnant with the couple's first child, and was sedated upon her arrival in New York. After Ray's death, she bravely continued on, mostly on the strength of knowing that her baby was soon to be born. She eventually gave birth to a baby girl, Rae. Eventually, Katie remarried a wealthy business man, J. F. McMahon of Los Angeles, and moved to California. The couple had a son, J.F. McMahon Jr. Relatives noticed though that even with her new life, she was still unhappy. Still suffering from bouts of depression because of her beloved Ray's death, she eventually committed suicide by drinking cleaning fluid in 1928. Daughter Rae, stayed in California with her step-father after her mothers suicide, but tragically died from the measels in 1929. Both mother and daughter were taken back to Cleveland for burial.
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See more Chapman-McMahon or Daly memorials in:
- Calvary Cemetery Chapman-McMahon or Daly
- Cleveland Chapman-McMahon or Daly
- Cuyahoga County Chapman-McMahon or Daly
- Ohio Chapman-McMahon or Daly
- USA Chapman-McMahon or Daly
- Find a Grave Chapman-McMahon or Daly
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