The 1919 Chicago White Sox - or Black Sox?

Even though The White Sox were a very talented club, Charles Comiskey did not treat them that way. He paid them poorly, and at that time there was to free agency to look forward to, or even a players' union to protect them. The ballplayers were charged for laundering their uniforms, and were fined if they didn't. When the Sox won the 1919 AL pennant, there was no bonus money...they received cheap champagne. "Commy" was well loved by the press, so most people never knew these things. Attendance was up after the war, but Comiskey did not care to share any of the profits with his ballplayers. Star pitcher Eddie Cicotte was supposed to receive a $10,000 bonus if he won 30 games in 1919, but at 29 wins, Comiskey said he would be rested for the "important games", and did not pitch again until the World Series.

The 1919 Chicago White Sox had 2 groups on the team. One was led by sophisticated second baseman Eddie Collins, who graduated from Columbia University...while the less-polished group was led by first baseman Chick Gandil, and of course the 2 did not get along. Collins and his group, for example, were able to negotiate much better contracts for themselves. The others were unhappy, resented Comiskey and could certainly be tempted by the opportunity for more money.

There had been rumors before 1919 of ballplayers throwing a game here or there to make some extra money. Joseph "Sport" Sullivan was a gambler who supposedly got tips from White Sox first baseman Chick Gandil. There are various reports as to how the whole thing started, but it seems that Gandil and Sullivan spoke right around the end of the season, with Gandil claiming his team would lose the World Series for $80,000. Sullivan says he has to get the money together, and Gandil sets off to talk to his teammates.

Gandil approached the top 2 pitchers, Eddie Cicotte & Lefty Williams, knowing they would be a huge part of throwing the series. Both were interested, and Cicotte requested 10 grand upfront, the amount he felt Comiskey had owed him. Shortstop Swede Risberg is also in, and backup infielder Fred McMullin overhears the others talking, so he is included, even though he will play very little in the World Series. Outfielders "Shoeless Joe Jackson" and Happy Felsch, along with third baseman Buck Weaver made up the rest of the 8 White Sox players who would be in on the fix.

Another gambler, "Sleepy" Bill Burns, hears talk of a possible fix, and wants to make some money too. He speaks with Cicotte and Gandil, who ask him for $100,000 up front. Burns goes to legendary gambler Arnold Rothstein to ask for the money, but is told no by Abe Attell. Attell later goes behind Rothstein's back and says the fix is on.

Next Arnold Rothstein is approached by "Sport" Sullivan, who is much more respected than Burns. Nat Evans is given $40,000 to give to Sullivan for the players, with the other $40,000 kept in a safe until the players throw the games.

Sullivan put $30,000 out on bets, and gave the remaining $10,000 to Chick Gandil, who passed it onto Eddie Cicotte. The 8 players, minus Jackson, met with Attell the day before the series, who told them there would be no cash upfront, but they would receive $20,000 for each game they lost. People were betting big money on the Cincinnati Reds, and the White Sox, who were 5-1 favorites, were now even money, if not underdogs. There were even rumors that some of the Sox players bet on the Reds.

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Gandil then went to "Sport" Sullivan before Game 4, demanding $20,000, or the fix was off. The Sox lost this game because of two errors committed by Eddie Cicotte. The Reds won again in Game 5, but no money came to the players, and they had had enough. Chicago won the next two games bringing the Series to a 4-3 Cincinnati lead.

Lefty Williams was the starter for Game 8. The night before, he was visited by a man, supposedly sent by Rothstein, who threatened him if he did not lose the following day. Williams did not finish the first inning, and the Reds won the World Series.

Hugh Fullerton, a Chicago newspaper writer, paid close attention, and definitely thought there was a fix. He wrote about it, but people didn't want to believe such a thing was possible. The owners knew this was very possible, and were afraid such a disgrace could ruin the game.

The 8 ballplayers were indicted on charges of conspiring to defraud the public, and injure the business of Charles Comiskey and the American League. There was no law on the books in Illinois about fixing games. They were suspended for the remainder of the 1920 season, and the club finished 2 games behind the Cleveland Indians for first place.

Baseball at this time had a three-man commission, but the owners made the move to pick one man for the job, to show the fans they were doing something about this mess. Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis became Commissioner in 1921.

Cicotte, Jackson and Williams confessed, and the trial began in the summer of 1921. All 8 ballplayers were acquitted, with a lack of evidence being a major reason. The players' confessions, along with other grand jury records, somehow disappeared. They turned up 4 years later in the possession of Charles Comiskey's lawyers.

Just one day after the not guilty verdict, Commissioner Landis issued the following statement...

"Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player that throws a ball game, no player that entertains proposals or promises to throw a game, no player that sits in a conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are discussed, and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball."

There it was, 8 baseball players, 6 of whom were under the age of 30 during that 1919 season, were banned - for life. Some went on to play semi-pro ball, but none would ever again set foot on a Major League field.

Charles Comiskey, who supposedly paid for his players' attorneys, publicly supported the lifetime ban of these players, though it destroyed his team. The Chicago White Sox would not finish higher than fifth place again until 1936. They next won a pennant in 1959, but lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their next World Series was in 2005, when they swept the Houston Astros for their third title.

Buck Weaver appealed to Commissioner Landis several times, stating he attended meetings, but that he refused to participate in the fix and never took a penny. He hit .324 in the 1919 Series, second highest on the team. He was never reinstated.

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson claimed he did not attend any of the meetings, that he did take $5000, but he played well, only letting up in a couple of situations. He batted .375 for the Series, including the only home run by either team. He was illiterate, and said he had no idea what the confession he signed actually said. Jackson was one of the most popular players in the game before Babe Ruth started hitting loads of home runs. He had a .356 lifetime batting average over 13 seasons, and was just 30 years old in his last season. He was inducted into the Cleveland Indians hall of Fame in 1951, a team he played on before the White Sox. But he is still banned from baseball, and is ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Some notable players not involved in the fix were Eddie Collins, catcher Ray Schalk, and pitchers Dickie Kerr and Red Faber. Collins, Schalk and Faber are all in the Hall of Fame, and Kerr pitched 2 complete games in the 1919 World Series. Schalk and manager Kid Gleason reportedly got into fights with some of the players because of poor performance.

Babe Ruth hit 29 home runs in 1919, a new record. He would go on to blast 54 the following year, and 59 in 1921, helping to save the game, as well as it change it forever. The 8 players who were banned are ineligible from being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Charles Comiskey was inducted in 1939, but was he just as guilty? Many people feel that "Commy" found out about the fix, but did nothing and kept his mouth shut because he was afraid the scandal would ruin the game. He also treated a very good team very poorly. He died in 1931.