Chester ("Chet" or "Red") Hoff was born in Ossining, New York, the fifth child (and fourth son) of Walter, a railroad worker, and Harriet Hoff.[1]
Baseball careeredit
Hoff made his major league debut on September 6, 1911. Pitching against the Detroit Tigers in his second appearance on September 18 at the wood-grandstand Hilltop Park in Washington Heights, Manhattan on the site now occupied by Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, he struck out Ty Cobb. In later years, Hoff recalled this as the highlight of his career.[2]
Hoff played in a total of 12 games during the 1911, 1912 and 1913 seasons with the New York Highlanders/Yankees, and he pitched in 11 games with the 1915 St. Louis Browns with a 2-2 record and a 1.24 ERA.[3]
Hoff went on to play for a minor league baseball team in Rochester in 1914 and with the St. Louis Browns in 1915.[4]
Oldest National or American Leagueredit
Although he only appeared in 23 games, Hoff is best remembered for being the oldest living ex-major leaguer at the time of his death in Daytona Beach, Florida, at the age of 107. This record was later surpassed by former Negro leagues pitcher Silas Simmons. Hoff died of complications resulting from a fall.
At the time of his death, he was the last surviving person to have played in Major League Baseball during the dead-ball era, the historically low-scoring period from 1901 to 1920.
Later lifeedit
After his professional baseball career ended, he returned to Ossining and pitched semipro baseball on Sundays for 10 years, facing some top Negro league teams as well as inmates at the Sing Sing state prison in games inside the penitentiary walls.[5] He worked as a map cutter for Rand McNally in Ossining before retiring to Florida in the 1950s.[4]
Upon his death in 1998, Hoff was survived by two daughters; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.[5] He was predeceased by his wife, Eva, who died in 1934 at age 42.[6][7]
^"Register". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
^Geoffrey C. Ward, Baseball: An Illustrated History at 110 (New York: Alfred A. Knopf 1994) (based on a documentary filmscript by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns).
hoff, chester, cornelius, hoff, 1891, september, 1998, american, left, handed, pitcher, major, league, baseball, pitcherborn, 1891, 1891ossining, york, died, september, 1998, 1998, aged, daytona, beach, florida, batted, leftthrew, leftmlb, debutseptember, 1911. Chester Cornelius Red Hoff May 8 1891 September 17 1998 was an American left handed pitcher in Major League Baseball Red HoffPitcherBorn 1891 05 08 May 8 1891Ossining New York U S Died September 17 1998 1998 09 17 aged 107 Daytona Beach Florida U S Batted LeftThrew LeftMLB debutSeptember 6 1911 for the New York HighlandersLast MLB appearanceOctober 2 1915 for the St Louis BrownsMLB statisticsWin loss record2 4Earned run average2 49Innings pitched83TeamsNew York Highlanders Yankees 1911 1913 St Louis Browns 1915 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Baseball career 1 3 Oldest National or American Leaguer 1 4 Later life 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBiography editEarly life edit Chester Chet or Red Hoff was born in Ossining New York the fifth child and fourth son of Walter a railroad worker and Harriet Hoff 1 Baseball career edit Hoff made his major league debut on September 6 1911 Pitching against the Detroit Tigers in his second appearance on September 18 at the wood grandstand Hilltop Park in Washington Heights Manhattan on the site now occupied by Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center he struck out Ty Cobb In later years Hoff recalled this as the highlight of his career 2 Hoff played in a total of 12 games during the 1911 1912 and 1913 seasons with the New York Highlanders Yankees and he pitched in 11 games with the 1915 St Louis Browns with a 2 2 record and a 1 24 ERA 3 Hoff went on to play for a minor league baseball team in Rochester in 1914 and with the St Louis Browns in 1915 4 Oldest National or American Leaguer edit Although he only appeared in 23 games Hoff is best remembered for being the oldest living ex major leaguer at the time of his death in Daytona Beach Florida at the age of 107 This record was later surpassed by former Negro leagues pitcher Silas Simmons Hoff died of complications resulting from a fall At the time of his death he was the last surviving person to have played in Major League Baseball during the dead ball era the historically low scoring period from 1901 to 1920 Later life edit After his professional baseball career ended he returned to Ossining and pitched semipro baseball on Sundays for 10 years facing some top Negro league teams as well as inmates at the Sing Sing state prison in games inside the penitentiary walls 5 He worked as a map cutter for Rand McNally in Ossining before retiring to Florida in the 1950s 4 Upon his death in 1998 Hoff was survived by two daughters four grandchildren six great grandchildren and one great great grandchild 5 He was predeceased by his wife Eva who died in 1934 at age 42 6 7 See also editList of centenarians Major League Baseball players List of centenarians sportspeople References edit Register www ancestry com Retrieved 11 September 2023 Geoffrey C Ward Baseball An Illustrated History at 110 New York Alfred A Knopf 1994 based on a documentary filmscript by Geoffrey C Ward and Ken Burns Red Hoff Stats Baseball Reference com a b Ossining Native Red Hoff Ex Yankee Holds Baseball Record Ossining Daily Voice 21 June 2013 a b Goldstein Richard 24 September 1998 Chet Hoff 107 Oldest Former Major Leaguer Published 1998 The New York Times via NYTimes com Register www ancestry com Retrieved 11 September 2023 Register www ancestry com Retrieved 11 September 2023 External links editCareer statistics and player information from ESPN or Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors Red Hoff at Find a Grave nbsp Records Preceded byBill Otis Oldest recognized verified living baseball playerDecember 15 1990 September 17 1998 Succeeded byIke Kahdot nbsp nbsp nbsp This biographical article relating to an American baseball pitcher born in the 1890s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red Hoff amp oldid 1222760558, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
