Ray Chapman - a casualty of the dead-ball era (Courtesy of ootpdevelopments.com).
Curious about the MLB’s “dead-ball era” and when exactly the ball came alive? You came to the right place. Read my article about Pete Rose here while you’re at it!
Although I’m an NFL historian, I am also a true crime and sports writer, so when I hear “dead” ball, who could turn that down?
When Was the Dead-Ball Era?
This era was between 1900 and 1920. In 1920, the term got buried and replaced with the live-ball era. This is the era we are in today. For the most part.
Why the Name?
To clarify, the dead-ball era was not named that due to its ending because someone died. Someone did die, but that was not the basis of the name.
Allegedly, the dead ball became more “lively” after significant rule reforms in 1920 that upped the offensive statistics significantly. We’ll get into that a bit more.
The 1900-1920 Era
It’s unclear what era the MLB was in between its infancy and 1900, but that time period doesn’t get a name, apparently. This era gets its unique death ball name due to the lack of “liveliness” or action on the field during this time. The rules of the day prevent high-scoring games.
The most pronounced rule of this time period was the one-ball rule. The same ball would be used the entire game, unless it literally was coming apart. Baseball cared about the animal that provided the skin for that ball. Back in the day, fans wouldn’t even keep the ball. If a spectator caught it, they threw that thing back down.
Another key difference was that pitchers were allowed to “deface” or scuff the ball and could apply foreign substances to it. This is the MLB’s way of saying that the player could spit on the ball or put dirt on it.
The issue with using just one ball is that it got dirtier and dirtier throughout the game. Particularly with the spit and such. It became harder to see. Another problem was that the ball lost elasticity with time, making it harder to hit long distances.
The Catalyst for the Live-Ball Era
The beginning of the live-ball era came about due to an on-field fatality.
Mr. Ray Chapman, a shortstop for Cleveland, passed away after being struck in the head by a ball that was intentionally aimed to hit him by pitcher Carl Mays. It is believed by eyewitness testimony that Chapman didn’t see the ball coming due to the dirtiness of the ball and didn’t react to the pitch at all.
Ray Chapman’s Tragic Passing
The sound of the ball hitting Chapman’s head was so loud that Mays thought it was the sound of the ball hitting his opponent’s bat. The pitcher continued the play. A fellow Cleveland player saw blood coming from Chapman’s ear and screamed for the doctor. After attempting to walk, the shortstop’s knees buckled, and his teammates helped him off the field.
Chapman’s final words were, “I’m all right; tell Mays not to worry… ring….Katie’s ring.” Then he was unconscious. Then he was unconscious. The shortstop would pass away 12 hours later in the hospital due to brain damage. If you’re wondering who Katie was, it was his pregnant wife who fainted when she heard the news of his death. Chapman was just 29 years old. He had spoken of retiring from baseball soon so he could dedicate himself to his expanding family and his wife’s family business. Oh, and Mays didn’t seem to be worried.
As a result of Chapman’s untimely passing, the one-ball rule was tossed, and the umpire was required to exchange the ball with a new one as soon as it got dirty. Spitballing was also outlawed, although vets could continue to do it into the 1930s.
Batting helmets were also recommended at this point, although they wouldn’t be required until the 1950s. Some progress comes slower, and it seems the desire to not protect the player’s noggin is a phenomenon that transpires in all sports.
Live-Ball Rule Reforms
Ray Chapman inspired many new rules, and with those advancements came more. It truly became a time of great reform for the rules of the MLB. Although a baseball historian may argue that the game was lively in a different and comparable way in the “dead-ball” era.
Besides the end of the spitball (mostly) and the elimination of the one-ball rule, there were some other big changes.
A statistical change happened in 1920. From 1910 to 1919, all contested games were excluded; that was reversed, and the records for contested games were included.
Although it didn’t happen in 1920, changing the ball in 1911 from rubber to being cork-centered made it “livelier.” Also, the yarn used in the center of the ball was adjusted in 1920.
There’s some debate over whether ball parks were bigger back in the day, but the general consensus is that they were. The sizing down of fields made “hitting it out of the park” a lot easier.
Babe Ruth allegedly also may have shown his peers his unique method of swinging the bat, the “free-swinging” style that made the ball go further.
The last but certainly not least change to the rules was the team owner’s attempt to can the intentional walk. We know that didn’t work, but they were able to compromise with the added rule that catchers had to be in the catcher’s box when the pitcher throws.
The Live-Ball Era
It’s unclear which rules inspired the change that turned the dead ball livelier, although they likely all contributed. By 1921, runs went up by 40% and there were four times more home runs. Fans were frustrated by the lack of action in the dead-ball era, which also helped create wider reform. It’s a bit grim considering it required the death of a player for things to change. So there’s that.
