Batting average .305 Role Baseball Manager Name Chick Stahl | Runs batted in 622 Home runs 36 | |
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Died March 28, 1907, West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States Teams managed Boston Red Sox (since 1906) | ||
Charles Sylvester "Chick" Stahl (January 10, 1873 – March 28, 1907) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who was among the most feared and consistent hitters in his time. Stahl was an active major-league player when he committed suicide during spring training before the 1907 season.
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Career
In his rookie 1897 season with the Boston Beaneaters, he batted .354, and over his first six seasons, he averaged over .300. In 1899, he had six hits in a game, and in the 1903 World Series, he hit three triples. By 1904, including his time with the Beaneaters and the Boston Americans, Stahl had been a key part of four pennant winning teams in seven seasons.
In 1906, he was named acting manager of the Americans after his friend Jimmy Collins was suspended and decided to focus on his playing, and also due to the club's ownership opting for a change following a poor season by the club. He was officially named player-manager on December 4, 1906.
Death
Stahl committed suicide during the 1907 spring training season in West Baden, Indiana, by drinking four ounces of carbolic acid. The reasoning behind Stahl's suicide has remained a mystery for over a century. He was known as a carefree, fun-loving man and had many love affairs going on throughout the country. He mentioned suicide days before in Louisville, Kentucky, prompting some teammates to take the carbolic acid from him. His final words to some of teammates were "Boys, I just couldn't help it. It drove me to it." What "it" exactly was remains a mystery. A 1908 newspaper article claims that he was despondent because he had been tasked with discharging his friend Collins from the team.
Cy Young reluctantly took over as manager to start the 1907 season, but he was replaced six games into the season. Collins was traded to Philadelphia in June 1907. Stahl's widow mysteriously died a year and a half later. Just prior to her death, Julia Stahl was seen walking in a poor area of Boston while lavishly dressed. However, no bystanders seem to have seen the events of the last moments of her life.
Chick Stahl was not related to Jake Stahl, despite contemporary baseball sources listing them as brothers.
Stahl was mentioned along with teammates Bill Dinneen and Cy Young in the revival of the song "Tessie" (2004) by Dropkick Murphys.