Ben Chapman
Born: 12/25/1908 in Nashville, TN, USA
Died: 7/7/1993 in Hoover, AL, USA
MLB Debut: 1930-04-15 | Final Game: 1946-05-12
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: William Benjamin Chapman
Biography
Ben Chapman, born in 1908, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1930 to 1946. He made a significant impact in the Major Leagues during an era marked by the transition from the deadball era to a time of greater offensive output. Chapman played a total of 16 seasons, during which he distinguished himself with a career record of 8-6 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.4. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded 65 strikeouts throughout his career. Although he did not register any saves, his contributions on the mound were recognized with four All-Star selections, highlighting his status as one of the prominent pitchers of his time.
Chapman's playing style was characterized by a blend of finesse and strategic thinking, allowing him to navigate the challenges posed by some of the most formidable hitters of the era. He competed during a transformative period in baseball history, witnessing the integration of the sport and the evolution of pitching strategies. His legacy is remembered not only through his statistics but also through his resilience and adaptability in a rapidly changing game. As a four-time All-Star, Chapman remains a respected figure in the annals of baseball history, symbolizing the enduring spirit of competition that defined his generation of players.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 6 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 141.0 | 147 | 69 | 7 | 71 | 65 | 4.40 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | BRO | NL | 5 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 79.3 | 75 | 30 | 33 | 37 | 3.40 | -207.5 |
| 1945 | BRO | NL | 3 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 53.7 | 64 | 33 | 32 | 23 | 5.53 | -1062.1 |
| 1945 | PHI | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7.71 | 0.0 |
| 1946 | PHI | NL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1717 | 6478 | 1144 | 1958 | 407 | 107 | 90 | 977 | 287 | 824 | 556 | 0.302 | 0.383 | 0.440 | 0.823 | 16815.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | NYY | AL | 138 | 513 | 74 | 162 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 81 | 14 | 43 | 58 | 0.316 | 737.7 |
| 1931 | NYY | AL | 149 | 600 | 120 | 189 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 122 | 61 | 75 | 77 | 0.315 | 2680.1 |
| 1932 | NYY | AL | 151 | 581 | 101 | 174 | 41 | 15 | 10 | 107 | 38 | 71 | 55 | 0.299 | 1981.4 |
| 1933 | NYY | AL | 147 | 565 | 112 | 176 | 36 | 4 | 9 | 98 | 27 | 72 | 45 | 0.312 | 2226.2 |
| 1934 | NYY | AL | 149 | 588 | 82 | 181 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 86 | 26 | 67 | 68 | 0.308 | 1076.5 |
| 1935 | NYY | AL | 140 | 553 | 118 | 160 | 38 | 8 | 8 | 74 | 17 | 61 | 39 | 0.289 | 834.0 |
| 1936 | NYY | AL | 36 | 139 | 19 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 15 | 20 | 0.266 | 14.5 |
| 1936 | WSN | AL | 97 | 401 | 91 | 133 | 36 | 7 | 4 | 60 | 19 | 69 | 18 | 0.332 | 14.5 |
| 1937 | BOS | AL | 113 | 423 | 76 | 130 | 23 | 11 | 7 | 57 | 27 | 57 | 35 | 0.307 | 1328.8 |
| 1937 | WSN | AL | 35 | 130 | 23 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 26 | 7 | 0.262 | 1328.8 |
| 1938 | BOS | AL | 127 | 480 | 92 | 163 | 40 | 8 | 6 | 80 | 13 | 65 | 33 | 0.340 | 2375.9 |
| 1939 | CLE | AL | 149 | 545 | 101 | 158 | 31 | 9 | 6 | 82 | 18 | 87 | 30 | 0.290 | 1195.0 |
| 1940 | CLE | AL | 143 | 548 | 82 | 157 | 40 | 6 | 4 | 50 | 13 | 78 | 45 | 0.286 | 1040.9 |
| 1941 | CHW | AL | 57 | 190 | 26 | 43 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 19 | 14 | 0.226 | -457.9 |
| 1941 | WSN | AL | 28 | 110 | 9 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 0.255 | -457.9 |
| 1944 | BRO | NL | 20 | 38 | 11 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0.368 | 0.0 |
| 1945 | BRO | NL | 13 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.136 | 0.0 |
| 1945 | PHI | NL | 24 | 51 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.314 | 0.0 |
| 1946 | PHI | NL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0.294 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | WS | NYA | 4 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0.294 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 56 | 0 | 157 | 179 | 20 | 40 |
| 3B | 96 | 0 | 102 | 156 | 26 | 12 |
| OF | 1495 | 0 | 3476 | 156 | 125 | 31 |
| P | 25 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 1 |
| SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | NYA | 2B | 45 | 0 | 132 | 146 | 18 | 36 |
| 1930 | NYA | 3B | 91 | 0 | 100 | 149 | 24 | 11 |
| 1931 | NYA | 2B | 11 | 0 | 25 | 33 | 2 | 4 |
| 1931 | NYA | OF | 137 | 0 | 300 | 14 | 12 | 1 |
| 1932 | NYA | OF | 150 | 0 | 303 | 13 | 17 | 2 |
| 1933 | NYA | OF | 147 | 0 | 288 | 24 | 8 | 4 |
| 1934 | NYA | OF | 149 | 0 | 368 | 12 | 13 | 2 |
| 1935 | NYA | OF | 138 | 0 | 372 | 25 | 15 | 7 |
| 1936 | NYA | OF | 36 | 0 | 106 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1936 | WS1 | OF | 97 | 0 | 271 | 10 | 12 | 4 |
| 1937 | BOS | SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1937 | BOS | OF | 112 | 0 | 262 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| 1937 | WS1 | OF | 32 | 0 | 87 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1938 | BOS | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | BOS | OF | 126 | 0 | 267 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 1939 | CLE | OF | 146 | 0 | 356 | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| 1940 | CLE | OF | 140 | 0 | 307 | 10 | 12 | 3 |
| 1941 | CHA | OF | 49 | 0 | 122 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1941 | WS1 | OF | 26 | 0 | 54 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1944 | BRO | P | 11 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1945 | BRO | P | 10 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 1945 | PHI | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 | PHI | 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 1945 | PHI | OF | 10 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1946 | PHI | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 25 |
| Second Base | 56 |
| Third Base | 96 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
| Left Field | 403 |
| Center Field | 582 |
| Right Field | 548 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 20th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 7.0 | 80 | 0 |