1919 World Series History

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The 1919 World Series occurred between the Cincinnati Reds, and the Chicago White Sox. During this eight game battle, the Reds beat the Sox five games to three in a best of nine game series. The World Series is typically a seven game series played between the best team in the American League, and the best team in the National League. In order for a team to get into the World Series, they must first win their division, then win in the playoffs. This was the first time the Reds won the World Series, unlike the Sox, who had won two prior to 1919. The 1919 World Series is believed by thousands of baseball fans to be fixed.
Game one took place in front of 30,511 fans in Redland Park. Eddie Cicotte took the mound for the Black Sox at the bottom of the first inning and hit Morrie Rath, the leadoff batter, as a signal that the fix was on. Cicotte received 10,000 dollars for fixing game one. They kept the game close until Cincinnati broke the game open with a five run fourth inning. Walter “Dutch” Ruether was the winning pitcher for the Reds as they took a one game advantage over the Sox in the series. Game two was also in Redland Park in front of 29,698 fans. “Lefty” Williams was the starting pitcher, but he didn’t want to be as palpable at Cicotte in game one. He kept it close until the fourth inning until he gave up three runs, then proceeded to keep it close until the end. The Reds won four to two and took a two game lead over the Sox. Game three took place at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Dickie Kerr, a rookie pitcher, took the mound for the Sox and refused to be involved in the fix. As gamblers were enraged, the Sox took a quick two run lead and eventually won three to zero in a shutout by the rookie Kerr.
Game four was located at Comis...

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... drunk. He received his nickname in 1908, he bought a new set of spikes for his shoes that wore right through his shoes and gave him blisters, and he played the game in his socks. In the seventh inning, Joe hit a triple and was running to third base when a fan jumped up and yelled, “You shoeless son of a gun.” He only played that one game in his stockings, but the nickname stuck with him forever. He openly admitted to not liking the nickname.
In the eyes of thousands, the 1919 World Series was nothing more than eight fixed games. Nearly 100,000 dollars was paid to players, and half a million was gambled on it. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and the Sox allegedly accepted money from Joseph "Sport" Sullivan to lose to the Cincinnati Reds. This was one of the four World Series in all of history that was nine games, and the only World Series that has been proven to be fixed.

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