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Filling
Chappie's Shoes
The Cleveland Indians were in the heat of a fierce
pennant race with the Yankees and White Sox when
on August 16, 1920, a pitch thrown by Carl Mays
accidentally hit and killed Indian shortstop and
team leader, Ray Chapman. The loss of the "glue"
to their squad made it likely that the Indians would
just fold. But Cleveland manager (and future Hall
of Fame centerfielder) Tris Speaker was told about
a young shortstop playing at the University of Alabama.
His name was Joe Sewell. He was brought up to the
Indians by the first week in September with the
team still in the hunt for the pennant.
Young Joe was literally asked to fill the shoes
of the martyred Chapman. Pictured (left) are the
actual shoes Joe wore when he replaced the beloved
Chapman. The Indians went on to win the pennant
and the World Series of 1920 with Joe Sewell as
their shortstop. Sewell holds the record for having
struck out the fewest times in major league history,
whiffing only 113 times, in a 14-year Hall of Fame
career.
On the shoes, Joe wrote: "I used these shoes
in 1920, (signed) Joe Sewell." 
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