The Black Sox Scandal

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The Black Sox Scandal

Professional baseball started in 1869 and developed into the game we know today as America?s past time. Baseball was a part of the American identity.

?Adjectives such as clean, wholesome and pure were often used to describe the game. It was a pastime which promoted idealistic

American values of cooperation and integrity. However,

underneath the clean image, discontent and corruption were

brewing.? (Eliot 1)

There were many reports of corruption before the 1919 World Series, but none of the games were as important. When the story of the fixed games broke the disloyalty not only effected the game of baseball, but the values of the American society. The Black Sox scandal of the 1919 World Series brought controversy to the game of baseball which still exists today by denying ?Shoeless? Joe Jackson what he deserves, induction into the Hall of Fame.

The first World Series after World War I was the 1919 series. Attendance and interest kept rising and in 1919 the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds met for what was supposed to be an easy win for the White Sox. ?The World Series that year was expected to be profitable?and it was, generating 50% more revenue than any other World Series to date (Everstine 1).? There was so much money available that if someone could predict the outcome they could become rich.

At this time in baseball, players were paid low wages for their services while cheap owners earned large profits. Players felt under appreciated and were tempted with gambler?s offers which could accumulate to several times their salary. Professional gambler?s did not hesitate to bet against the home team or offer bribes, which were often excepted. The combination of low salaries and gambling offers are probably the cause of the 1919 baseball scandal.

Money was floating in Chicago with gambler?s placing large bets. With big plans for getting rich, two gambler?s, ?Sleepy? Bill Burns and Billy Maharg, contacted two White Sox players, pitcher Ed Cicotte and first baseman Arnold ?Chick? Gandil, about fixing the series. The two players knew they had to enlist more teammates to successfully fix the series. They spoke to six more players; pitcher Lefty Williams, centerfielder Happy Felsch, shortstop Swede Risberg, thirdbaseman Buck Weaver, utilityman Fred McMullin and one of the best and most popular stars ever, left fielder ?

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