Kelvin Keith Chapman was born June 2, 1956 in Willits, California. Chapman was signed out of Santa Rosa Jr. College as an amateur free agent by the New York Mets in 1975. After batting .306 at A ball in 1977, he quickly moved up in the Mets organization. 
Chapman had a great Spring Training in 1979 & was promoted right past AAA ball stealing the second base job from Doug Flynn. These were the days when Mets manager Joe Torre was lucky to get a win, let alone be talked about for Cooperstown. The Kelvin experiment at second base lasted only 35 games & 80 at bats; where he hit.150. Doug Flynn his job back and went on to earn a gold glove. Chapman spent the next four years in AAA mostly at Tidewater as a second baseman. He started out hitting well there in 1984, and Davey Johnson called him up to be a right handed platoon with Wally Backman.
He never made it back to the big leagues, getting released at the end of the season. In a short three year career (172 games) Chapman was a lifetime .223 hitter, getting 94 hits with 3 HRs, 17 doubles & 34 RBIs, posting a .954 fielding percentage.
Retirement: After baseball he first operated a sporting goods store & batting range in Ukiah, California. He then coached at Mendocino College in his hometown of Willits, California.
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