"Shoeless" Joe Jackson was a major league left fielder in the early 20th century. He played for the Chicago White Sox. Many people remember him because he is believed to have been involved with the 1919 conspiracy to "fix" the World Series. After much of his team was bribed to throw the series in exchange for cash, Joe Jackson felt pressure to do so as well and agreed to be a part of the scandal.
The "Black Sox" Series
However, during the series, Joe played incredible. He had 12 hits, the most out of either team. He also threw a runner out at the plate. Obviously he had a change of heart. It has even been reported that Jackson attempted to alert the owner of the White Sox, Charles Comiskey, about the scandal, but Charles would not give Jackson the opportunity to meet with him.
Kenesaw Landis Bans the Players
Despite his outstanding effort and talented performance during the series, Joe and 7 other players were banned from Major League Baseball for the rest of their lives by baseball's first comissioner, Kenesaw Landis. Until his death in 1951, Joe Jackson claimed that he was innocent. Since his death, the other players have come forward and said that Joe did not attend any of the meetings with the gamblers wishing to throw the series.
A truly amazing player, Joe Jackson was on the path to the hall of fame. He overcame great odds, such as illiteracy, to achieve his dreams. However, due to his unjust ban from the league, he is not allowed to be nominated for baseball’s hall of fame.
Black Betsy
Many people have researched Joe Jackson’s story and have formed an opinion of their own. The overwhelming majority of the public believe that “Shoeless” Joe Jackson should be reinstated into baseball, so that he can be nominated into the hall of fame. A website has been started so that fans can educate themselves and vote on the issue. The website has been named after Jackson’s favorite baseball bat, “Black Betsy.”
The Latest on "Shoeless" Joe Jackson
In recent years, there has been an immense amount of attention given to this issue, from feature films and books to websites and congressional legislation. This attention has caused “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s reinstatement into baseball to undergo consideration with the MLB. As of the date on which research for this article was completed, no decision had been made as to the status of Joe Jackson in the league.
David Pesek - Hello, my name is David and I currently attend the University of Central Florida. I write unique, eye-opening articles on a wide range of ...
