Chet Hoff

Chester Cornelius Hoff
(Red)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 9", Weight 162 lb.

• Debut September 6, 1911
• Final Game October 2, 1915
• Born May 8, 1891 in Ossining, NY USA
• Died September 17, 1998 in Daytona Beach, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Chet Hoff is the longest lived ex-major leaguer ever, and was the last person alive to have played in the 1910s. At the time of his death, he was 107 years, 4 months, 9 days old, outdistancing his nearest competitors, Karl Swanson, Bob Wright and John Daley by more than five years. He died a week after a fall in which he had broken a hip and not of the complications associated with advanced age.

Hoff gained some fame in 1991, when he turned 100. After his 100th birthday, Hoff delighted in signing postcard photos featuring him pitching in his New York Yankees uniform at age 100. It was reported that he used the $5 autograph fee for weekly trips to the shopping mall from his assisted living facility.

Hoff, a pitcher, made his big league debut with the New York Highlanders on September 6, 1911 against the Washington Senators. He once struck out future Hall of Famer Ty Cobb. He had several cups of coffee with New York through 1913, then spent 1914 in the minors. He returned to the majors in 1915 with the St. Louis Browns and had his finest season, going 2-2 with a 1.24 ERA in 11 games. He never returned to the majors after that season, but he remained a New York Yankees fan for the rest of his long life.

Hoff had pitched for the semi-pro Ossining Colts prior to his professional career, and after his time in the majors played for three years in the minors and then returned to the Colts. After baseball he worked for Rand McNally, retiring in 1956. He then moved to Florida, where he passed away in 1998.

When Connie Marrero celebrated his 102nd birthday in 2013, he became only the second major leaguer after Hoff to have reached that advanced age - but still had five years to live to catch up to him! Marrero died on April 23, 2014, only 2 days before his 103rd birthday.

Famous Last

Last living player to have played major league baseball in the 1910s

Related Sites

• Profile of Hoff in his old age