Frank Chapman (baseball) - Mistaken Identity

Mistaken Identity

Chapman had previously been known to baseball historians under a different name; he was originally thought to have been a player named Frederick Joseph "Fred" Chapman. The listed birth date for Fred Chapman was November 24, 1872, which would have made the pitcher 14 years old when he made his appearance against the Blues and would have made him the youngest player to ever pitch in a Major League Baseball game. In March 2009, SABR's Biographical Research Committee unveiled research from member Richard Malatzky which showed that, based on data from the Sporting Life newspaper, that it was not Fred Chapman who pitched against the Blues but rather a player named Frank Chapman. Subsequent research by Malatzky, published in October 2009, revealed further information on Chapman, including information about his family and that he was from Newburgh, New York; Malatzky also found evidence that he died in Newburgh as well.