- Chet Hoff
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Chet Hoff Pitcher Born: May 8, 1891 Died: September 17, 1998 (aged 107)Batted: Left Threw: Left MLB debut September 6, 1911 for the New York Highlanders Last MLB appearance October 2, 1915 for the St. Louis Browns Career statistics Win-Loss 2-4 Earned run average 2.49 Innings 83 Teams Chester Cornelius Hoff (May 8, 1891 – September 17, 1998) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Biography
Born in Ossining, New York, he pitched for the New York Highlanders (renamed the Yankees in 1913) from 1911–1913 and for the St. Louis Browns in 1915.
Hoff made his major league debut on September 6, 1911. Pitching against the Detroit Tigers, he struck out the first batter he faced, Ty Cobb. In later years, Chet recalled that this was the highlight of his career.[citation needed]
Although he only appeared in 23 games and amassed a record of just 2 wins and 4 losses, Hoff is best remembered for being the oldest living ex-major leaguer at the time of his death in Daytona Beach, Florida at age 107. He was the longest-lived former professional athlete ever. This record may have been broken by negro-leaguer Silas Simmons (who is believed to have been 109 or possibly 111 at his death), but Hoff remains the longest-lived person to have played in Major League Baseball. Hoff died of complications resulting from an accidental fall.
He was the last surviving player at the time of his death to have played during the dead-ball era; the historically low-scoring period of Major League Baseball prior to 1920.
External links
- Interview with Chet Hoff about Hal Chase
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
Categories:- Major League Baseball pitchers
- New York Highlanders players
- New York Yankees players
- St. Louis Browns players
- Baseball players from New York
- American centenarians
- 1891 births
- 1998 deaths
- Accidental deaths in Florida
- Accidental deaths from falls
- American baseball pitcher, 1890s births stubs
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