The sport of Baseball has been thought to be the most honorable American sport and one of the most respected sports around the globe. Many would refer to baseball as a gentleman’s sport like golf, others would say that there is a different level of passion that lives inside of a ballplayer to win at all costs and to ultimately be known as one of the greats. You would think that one would do anything and everything to win, especially when it comes to winning the pinnacle of it all, the World Series, right? That’s where the 1919 Chicago White Sox come in. During the 1919 World Series between the White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, the White Sox were the heavy favorites to win it all, but they didn’t, on purpose. During the 1919 World Series, eight players from the Chicago White Sox conspired with gamblers to throw games in what would eventually become the biggest scandal in the history of Major League Baseball, and the team would forever be known as the Black Sox.

Backstory: Joseph “Sport”  Sullivan

While the origins of the conspiracy are still debated, it has been said that there were two separate plans to “fix” the series. The first of the two involved a gambler from Boston named Joseph “Sport” Sullivan. In September of 1919, Sullivan met with the Sox’ first baseman, Charles Arnold “Chick” Gandil. They spoke about perpetrating a fix of the World Series. Following Sullivan’s proposition, Gandil recruited several of his teammates to intentionally lose the games. Though the fix would come at a cost, so Sullivan orchestrated a meeting with infamous organized crime boss Arnold Rothstein, who agreed to fund the fix at $80,000. Rothstein provided an initial $40,000 for Sullivan to distribute to each of the players that were involved; however, Sullivan kept $30,000 for his own wagering and gave only $10,000 to Gandil.

Backstory: “Sleepy” Bill Burns

The second backstory involved retired pitcher “Sleepy” Bill Burns and his accomplice, Billy Maharg, a former professional boxer. Prior to the commencement of the 1919 World Series, a sum of players from the White Sox came to an agreement with Burns to intentionally lose the series in exchange for money from gamblers. Burns met with pitcher Eddie Cicotte and Chick Gandil during the formative stages of the event. It is believed that Burns had also been working in tandem with Arnold Rothstein. Burns and Maharg relayed messages between the players and Rothstein.

                                                         The Players

“Chick” Gandil

Charles Arnold “Chick” Gandil was born on January 19, 1888, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was the ringleader of the players involved in the scandal. Physically well built at 6’2, 195 lbs, Gandil wore a mean and callous expression on the field. He used both of these attributes to display his toughness, and did not hesitate to use his sheer strength and aggression to assert his dominance both on and off the baseball diamond. Throughout his playing career, Gandil led all American League first basemen in fielding percentage four times, and won the 1917 World Series with the Chicago White Sox.

“Knuckles” Cicotte

Edward Victor “Knuckles” Cicotte was born on June 19, 1884, in Springwells, Michigan. Cicotte was a starting pitcher and a knuckleball specialist, hence the nickname “Knuckles”, who won 208 games and lost 149 over the course of a 14-year career. He sported a 2.38 ERA(Earned Runs Allowed) and accumulated 1,374 strikeouts. During the extent of his playing career, Cicotte was a 2x American League wins leader, an AL ERA leader, pitched a no-hitter on April 14, 1917, against the St. Louis Browns(now the Baltimore Orioles), and won the 1917 World Series.

“Happy” Felsch

Oscar Emil “Happy” Felsch was born on August 22, 1891, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During his career as the center fielder for the Sox, Felsch was one of the premier hitters in the American League, finishing in the top 10 in more than a few major batting categories. He led the AL in outfield putouts and assists during the 1919 regular season. Felsch was also a part of the 1917 World Series champion Chicago White Sox ballclub.

Fred McMullin

Fred Drury McMullin was born on October 13, 1891, in Scammon, Kansas. He was a utility infielder who played third base, though he did not receive much playing time. Over the course of his career, McMullin carried a .256 batting average to his name with 1 home run and 70 Runs Batted In(RBI). He too won the 1917 World Series with the White Sox.

“Swede” Risberg

Charles August “Swede” Risberg was born on October 13, 1894, in San Francisco, California. He was a below-average hitter, but due to his superb defensive abilities, he was able to win the full-time job as the starting shortstop for the Sox. His career statistics include a .243 batting average, 394 hits, and 175 RBIs over just three seasons. Swede was also a member of the 1917 World Series championship team.

“Buck” Weaver

George Daniel “Buck” Weaver was born on August 18, 1890, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He began his career on the White Sox in 1912 playing at shortstop, however, he switched to being the full-time third baseman in 1917 after Swede Risberg joined the team. An excellent fielder, Weaver was the only third baseman in the league who MLB Legend and all-time, career batting average leader Ty Cobb refused to bunt against. Buck displayed a .272 career batting average with 21 home runs and 421 RBIs. Additionally, Weaver won the 1917 World Series with the Sox.

“Lefty” Williams

Claude Preston “Lefty” Williams was born on March 9, 1893, in Aurora, Missouri. A left-handed power pitcher for the Sox for four seasons, Williams flourished an 82-48 win/loss record, a 3.13 ERA, and 515 strikeouts. Moreover, Williams was featured on the 1917 World Series championship team.

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson

Joseph Jefferson “Shoeless Joe” Jackson was born on July 16, 1887, in Pickens County, South Carolina. For the duration of his illustrious 12-year career, Shoeless Joe flaunted a .356 career batting average(the 4th highest in major league history), 1,772 hits, 54 home runs, and 785 RBIs. A left fielder, Jackson was voted as the 12th best outfielder of all time. Furthermore, Jackson was a key component for the 1917 World Series champion Chicago White Sox team.

A Common Enemy: “The Old Roman”

The players involved all had one thing in common aside from them being premier ballplayers; they were all premier ballplayers who were severely underpaid. The founding owner of the Chicago White Sox Organization was Charles Albert Comiskey. After the Sox had won the American League Pennant in 1919, numerous players approached Mr. Comiskey and requested that they be paid more than they were at the time. Before the start of the World Series, Eddie Cicotte met with Comiskey in his office. Cicotte was told that he would receive a bonus if he had won 30 games during the regular season. “It’s about my bonus, Mr. Comiskey. You promised me a $10,000 bonus if I won 30 games this year and I think I deserve it”, said Cicotte. Comiskey checked how many games Cicotte had won for his ballclub that season; He had only won 29. After being presented with this information Cicotte replied, “You told Kid(Gleason, the manager of the White Sox) to sit me down the last two weeks of the season to get ready for the series. That cost me five more starts; I know I would have won at least two more games.” “We had to get your arm ready for the series”, Comiskey responded. Cicotte retaliated, “ I deserve that Bonus.” Comiskey answered, “29 is not 30, Eddie. You will get only the money you deserve.” When Cicotte left Mr.Comiskey’s office that day, he had made up his mind(Note that the 1919 Chicago White Sox’ average player salary was just $4437). An interaction between Chick Gandil and Joseph Sullivan occurred on the team’s train ride to Cincinnati for Game 1 of the series. Gandil initiated the conversation, “You go back to Boston and turn seventy grand at the drop of a hat? I find that hard to believe.” Sullivan responded, “ You say you can find seven(other) men on the best club that ever took the field willin’ to throw the World Series? I find that hard to believe.” Gandil replied, “You never played for Charlie Comiskey.”

                                                            The Series

Game 1

The first game of the series began at 3:00 p.m. on October 1st in Cincinnati’s Crosley Field with Cicotte on the bum for Chicago. Cicotte hurled a fastball square in the back of the Reds leadoff hitter, Morrie Rath, with just his second pitch of the ballgame. This was a prearranged signal to Rothstein, letting him know that the game was going to be thrown. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Cicotte gave up a sequence of hits, including a two-out triple to the opposing pitcher, and the Reds were able to bring in five runs to break open a 1-1 ballgame. Cicotte was then relieved by Roy Wilkinson later that same inning, but the damage had already be done. The Reds won Game One of the series in convincing fashion, winning 9-1.

Game 2

In Game 2 of the series, Lefty Williams was the starter. He was not going to be as obvious as Cicotte had been in Game 1. After a shaky first inning, he pitched well until the 4th inning, when he walked three batters and gave up as many runs. After that, Williams went back to looking unconscious on the mound, as he only let up one more run. Although, a lack of clutch hitting from Chick Gandil was what eventually lost the game for the Sox. Following a 4-2 defeat in Game 2, the White Sox headed back home to Chicago for Game 3.

Game 3

Dickie Kerr was the starter for the Sox in Game 3. Kerr was one of the few players who weren’t in on the fix. The players who were in on it disliked Kerr, and the original plan was for them to play poorly and not help out their hurler. Though the dissent among the players meant that the plan was in disarray and the White Sox were able to score early in the ballgame with Gandil hitting a two-run single in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Kerr was magisterial, constraining the Reds to only three hits in a complete-game shutout. The White Sox won Game 3 in Chicago, three runs to none.

Game 4

Cicotte was back on the mound in Game 4. He was determined to toss a more convincing game than he had in Game 1. For the first four innings, all seemed well as he and Reds pitcher Jimmy Ring matched zeros, that is until the 5th inning came around. With one away in the 5th Cicotte fielded a slow roller to the mound, but threw wildly to first base, resulting in a two-base error. Cicotte then gave up a single to center in the next at-bat. He cut off the throw headed to home plate that wasn’t intended for him and then failed to get a grip on the ball, allowing a run to score for the Reds. Cicotte gave up yet another run in the following at-bat, giving the Reds a 2-0 lead, which was enough for Jimmy Ring to complete a three-hit shutout of his own and the Reds led the series with a commanding three games to one.

Game 5

Game 5 got underway with both Lefty Williams and Reds pitcher Hod Eller throwing superbly. By the 6th inning, neither pitcher had allowed a runner past first base, that is until Eller hit a “dying quail” that fell between Happy Felsch and Shoeless Joe Jackson. Felsch collected the ball and threw it away from the play, allowing the opposing pitcher to be safe at third base with a triple. Morrie Rath then roped a single to the outfield, scoring Eller and giving the Reds a 1-0 lead in the latter half of the contest. Williams then walked third baseman Heinie Groh before giving up a two-run double to center fielder Edd Roush. Roush came around to score shortly after, and Eller was able to pitch well enough for the four runs to hold up, giving the Reds a decisive 5-0 victory. The Reds led the series four games to one and were just one win away from capturing their first World Series championship in franchise history.

Game 6

The Reds were back home in Cincinnati for Game 6. Dickie Kerr was not as dominant as he had been in Game 3, allowing the Reds to jump out to a comfortable 4-0 lead early in the ballgame. Down, but not out, the Sox battled back to tie the game in the 6th inning. The score remained tie for the next three innings, which meant that they were headed for extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, Chick Gandil drove in Buck Weaver to make it a 5-4 ballgame. Kerr shut the door on the Reds to tally Chicago’s second win of the series, and the Reds led the series four games to two going into a pivotal Game 7.

Game 7

Despite the rumors that had been circulating around Cicottes’s prior performances during the series, manager Kid Gleason still had faith in his knuckleballing ace. Cicotte did not disappoint, and Chicago scored early in the top of the 1st inning. For once, it was the Reds who were committing errors in the field. Cincinnati briefly threatened Cicotte in the 6th inning prior to losing the ballgame 4-1. Suddenly, the series was nigh and the White Sox were headed back to Comiskey Park in South Chicago for a win or go home Game 8.

Game 8

The evening before Game 8, Lefty Williams, who was scheduled to pitch, was visited by an anonymous hitman under the alias “Harry F.”. The hitman, who had most likely been sent by Arnold Rothstein, supposedly threatened to murder Williams’ wife, if the outcome of the game was in doubt after the 1st inning. Whatever Williams had been told certainly made its impression, and in the 1st inning, he threw nothing but mediocre fastballs, giving up three runs in the process. Kid Gleason handed the ball over to Bill James, who allowed one run to score, after relieving Williams of his duties. Although the Sox rallied in the 8th inning, the Reds held on to win the ballgame 10-5---simultaneously clinching their first world title in franchise history. At the conclusion of the series, rumors throughout the country were rife that the ballgames had been thrown.

Say It Ain’t So

The rumors continued to accompany the White Sox throughout the following season, and as the team battled the Cleveland Indians(now the Cleveland Guardians) for the American League Pennant, the rumors had finally caught up to them. At last, in September of 1920, a grand jury was summoned to investigate the conspiracy. During the investigation, Cicotte, Jackson, and Williams all confessed to the grand jury as the eight players involved were tried for their role in the fix. Other key figures, including Arnold Rothstein, were also tried. The players were acquitted following a jury deliberation of nearly three hours on August 2, 1921. 

Judgement Day

The league was not so forgiving, however. After Federal Justice Kenesaw Mountain Landis was called on to investigate the fix, all eight players were banned from organized baseball for life. Soon after, Landis was named as the inaugural Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Landis went on a crusade against gambling; banning or suspending several players, and establishing rules against association with gambling that still stand to this very day.

Legacy

It is certain that the scandal left a black mark on the South Chicago franchise. The almighty team which Charles Comiskey had assembled was in ruins. It would take decades before the White Sox organization took another team to the World Series again, which they eventually did in 1959, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. The Sox would not be world champions again until 2005, a gap long enough for the entire fanbase base of the organization to believe that the team had been cursed for tampering with one of the basic principles of the game. Indubitably, the 1919 Chicago White Sox team was and will forever be recognized as the biggest disgrace to the sport of baseball. They will forever be known as “The Black Sox”.