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Nick Henkel

Ms. Richardson

English 11CP

24 February 2011

The Chicago Black Sox Scandal

Many people would do anything for money. People might not always do what is right but

usually when they do not it is for a reason that is good enough for them. Money can definitely

change people for the better or the worse. The lack of money caused a big scandal in sports

history called The Chicago Black Sox Scandal.

In 1919, the amount of money that baseball players were paid was minimal. Even though

they were going through a rough time, I still think that the players should have gotten more

money for their hard work. “Eight players from the Chicago White Sox (later nicknamed the

Black Sox) were accused of throwing the series against the Cincinnati Reds” (Chicago Historical

Society). The team must have had a good reason to throw the game after winning so many

games. “… If Comiskey had not grossly underpaid his players and treated them so unfairly, they

would never have agreed to throw the Series” (Chicago Historical Society). Their coach did not

seem like he cared about the players. It shows that he cared more about himself and winning

boosted his reputation.

Due to a reserve clause, players were restricted to one team unless approved by the

coach. “The clause which guaranteed a club a player’s service for as long as it wished, also

disallowed players to jump from team to team for better pay, a practice known as “contract
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jumping” (1919 Black Sox). Players had no way to find a better team who would pay them what

they were worth which led them to find alternative methods.

The team was divided into two different groups. One group led by Eddie Collins made

more than the group led by Chick Gandil. In 1919, people gambled on the games but it was not

out in the open. Growing tired of being used and after being approached by a gambler, Gandil

decided to take matters into his own hands. “Player resentment was high and gamblers' offers,

which were sometimes several times a ballplayer's salary, were too tempting to refuse” (Chicago

Historical Society). Since Gandil was nearing retirement, this was the perfect opportunity for

him to make the extra cash that he deserved. Unable to throw the game on his own, Gandil had to

get the approval from his teammates.

Comiskey kept making promises to his team and breaking them. One of the team’s

pitchers, Cicotte, was promised ten thousand dollars as a bonus if he won thirty games. After

reaching his twenty-ninth win, Comiskey made him sit out the rest of the season. With all of

Comiskey’s tricks, it is no surprise that his team would turn on him.

After everything that Comiskey had put the White Sox through, there was no problem

getting the other players to go along with this plan. Sport Sullivan was the main guy that started

the gambling bet. “He told Sullivan that for $100,000, Gandil and several of his teammates

would make sure the White Sox would lose” (Chicago Historical Society). Nowadays this would

not be considered a lot of money for an athlete, but in these rough times, it was more than

enough.

For the World Series, the White Sox were up against the Cincinnati Reds. Since the team

did so well throughout the season, the sudden loss and lack of effort were up for debate. Fans and
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officials both were questioning the outcome. The grand jury started up an investigation which

involved questioning all of the players. Some admitted fully to the bet while others denied it.

“Cicotte confessed to accepting the gambler's money to throw the games that he had pitched.

Jackson acknowledged taking the money, but denied that he played any less than his best.

Weaver denied all involvement with the scheme” (Suite101).

Before the trial had started, all evidence had been “lost.” Cicotte and Jackson took back

what they had said. As a result, the judge dismissed the case since there was no proof. Even until

death, Weaver never confessed to being involved. All of the players were dismissed from the

league and never allowed to play again. The players were never caught so you could say that

their plot paid off.

In the end, no one really knows the whole truth. “The Black Sox scandal of 1919 started

out as a few gamblers trying to get rich, and turned into one of the biggest, and easily the darkest,

event in baseball history” (Montgomery College). Even if it was not in the way they had planned,

the players all earned their fifteen minutes of fame. It is a part of history that our society will

never forget.