Though their service is often forgotten today, eight players from Major League Baseball died during World War I. One had been traded by the White Sox for the legendary “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.

Larry Chappell, an Illinois native who had seen time in the outfield for the Sox in 1914 and 1915, was at the height of his pro baseball career when he succumbed to influenza while in World War I service at age 28.

He had given up the game to enlist and died just four months later. Of the eight major leaguers who perished in World War I service, four were due to influenza.

Born LaVerne Chappell on Feb. 19, 1890, in the tiny Jersey County village of McClusky, north of St. Louis, Chappell played semipro ball in Alton before breaking into the pros in 1911. That year, he batted .295 in 101 games with t

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