1919 Chicago White Sox
It was 100 years ago today that the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox in the 8th game of the World Series, winning the series five games to three. That was the one where eight players on the White Sox ended up being banned from baseball for conspiring to throw the series.
A lot of people have come out over the years claiming that “Shoeless” Joe Jackson wasn’t actually in on it, but at the time, there was little doubt. Same with Buck Weaver. Though there is doubt about those two actually participating in the fix, they knew about it and didn’t report it. So, they were banned by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis.
I like baseball. I don’t like things that harm baseball. And much of the game today isn’t what I like. That’s why minor league baseball is a better game, though the players are lesser players. They’re playing hard, all the time. They want to make it to the majors. It’s just a shame that so many that make it to the majors then turn into what’s wrong with baseball.
It’s kinda like politics, except that when baseball players take money, nobody forces you to pay for it.
Have little interest in baseball, and almost no knowledge of its history (except that a possible ancestor is supposed to have invented the box score), but I found the movie NINE MEN OUT interesting, I had always heard that the suspended players got a bum rap; but the movie’s thesis seemed to be: sure, they were guilty, but the owners were greedy capitalist pigs, so they had it coming.