Monday Milestone: Say it ain’t so, Joe?
This Week in History:
1921, August 2
Shoeless Joe Jackson, and his teammates from the Chicago White Sox are acquitted in a court of law from fixing the 1919 World Series.
“No player who throws a ball game … will ever play professional baseball again”
– Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Was he or wasn’t he?
What involvement did ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson have in fixing the 1919 World Series?
When Jackson’s glittering career is examined, there are plenty of statistics that stand out.
A career average of .356 should be enough to turn every head in baseball. This is the third highest batting average in Major League history. Add to that a World Series pennant in 1917 and Jackson was a colossal presence in baseball in his day, considered the best and most popular player in the game until the rise of Babe Ruth.
With just one notable facet about him that remains questionable:
Was Shoeless Joe on the take?
The Milestone parks the Delorean outside the Cook County Courthouse in 1921 following an incredible trial. The eight men accused of fixing the 1919 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds have just been remarkably acquitted of any wrongdoing on the basis of a lack of evidence.
But the new Commissioner of Baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis is about to announce, to preserve the public’s trust in baseball, that those involved would be placed on an ineligible list including Arnold “Chick” Gandil, Eddie Cicotte, Oscar “Happy” Felsch, George “Buck” Weaver, Claude “Lefty” Williams, Charles “Swede” Risberg, Fred McMullin, and of course ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson.
They would never play in the majors again.
The abrupt ending of Jackson’s professional career was arguably the greatest tragedy. Especially given his participation in the Black Sox Scandal has always been questionable, with more and more doubt arising through the years. He always professed his innocence to his death in 1951. But just how involved was he?
Consider his statistics during that World Series: A then-World Series record twelve hits. The only home run from either side. An average of .375. These are numbers don’t sound like a man who is guilty of fixing a series.
But then perhaps his achievements during that World Series were simply strategic, to avoid detection. His two strike-outs just happened to occur in thrown games. His five hits with runners in scoring positions came in Game 6 (which was not fixed), and Game 7 when the conspirators, who by this point were rebelling against the architects of the fix. His home run was struck during Game 8 when the Reds were already leading 5-0.
Then again, he was acquitted in a court of law, despite purportedly signing a written confession, which mysteriously went missing on the eve of the trial, and was later recanted.
The other option, is that perhaps he simply knew about the fix, and continued to play his normal, high quality baseball? Does that make him equally guilty as those that played poorly?
The lines were certainly blurred.
Whatever the case, it isn’t for the Milestone to decide. History has already condemned Shoeless Joe Jackson. He was never admitted into the Hall of Fame.
But what do you think?
Milestone Five: Curious facts about Shoeless Joe Jackson’s involvement in the fixed World Series
5. Jackson allegedly signs a confession (despite his illiteracy) regarding his involvement during the fix of the 1919 World Series after being supposedly plied with whiskey.
4. Jackson supposedly shares in $20,000 for his part in fixing Game 4, but had refused $5,000 bribes at other points throughout the series.
3. Jackson hits a home run during the eighth game of the World Series. It is the only homer hit in the whole series.
2. Jackson’s (and Cicotte’s) written confessions mysteriously disappear on the eve of their trial whilst their verbal confessions are recanted. Was he guilty or not?
1. Jackson sets a World Series record for the most hits with twelve. Does that sound like a guilty man?
