Black Sox scandal

Baseball betting scandal, which led to banning of eight players, the introduction of a new commisioner and strict rules prohibiting gambling. During the 1919 baseball season the Chicago White Sox had shown themselves to be the best team in the leagues, and were the bookmaker?'s favourites to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series.

The White Sox were defeated and throughout rumours were rife that the players, motivated by a mixture of greed and a dislike of club owner Charles Comiskey, had taken money to throw the games. The rumors dogged the club throughout the 1920 season, as the White Sox battled the Cleveland Indians for the AL pennant that year, and stories of corruption touched players on other clubs as well. At last, in September 1920, a Grand Jury was convened to investigate.

During the investigation two players, Eddie Cicotte and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, confessed and the eight players were tried for their role in the fix. Prior to the trial, key evidence went missing from Cook County Courthouse, including the signed confessions of Cicotte and Jackson, who subsequently recanted their confessions. The players were acquitted. Some years later, the missing confessions reappeared in the possesion of Comiskey's lawyer.

The Leagues were not so forgiving. Under the commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, all eight players were banned from organised baseball for life.

Much more to follow

The banned players were:

Joe Jackson

Eddie Cicotte

Oscar "Happy" Felsch

Claude "Lefty" Williams

Arnold "Chick" Gandil

Fred McMullin?

Charles "Swede" Risberg

Buck Weaver

References: http://www.chicagohs.org/history/blacksox.html

Asinof, Eliot. Eight Men Out

See also: Baseball/History