Nov. 3, 2025

PerSwede Them: Black Sox Scandal

PerSwede Them: Black Sox Scandal
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A powerhouse roster, a miserly owner, and a storm of quiet resentment set the stage for baseball’s most infamous fall. We trace how the 1919 Chicago White Sox—frustrated by low pay and trapped by the reserve clause—slipped from favorites to fixers, and how a swarm of gamblers, middlemen, and one calculating kingpin turned the World Series into a high-stakes con. From the hit-by-pitch signal that opened Game 1 to the chilling threats before Game 8, every twist exposes what happens when money outruns ethics.

We walk through the backroom deals, the broken promises, and the odd moments that still stun: cash under a hotel pillow, missing confessions, a courtroom packed with boys in awe, and a jury that said “not guilty.” Then comes the true verdict that mattered. Newly empowered commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis banned eight players for life, drawing a bright line that rebuilt trust, centralized power, and created the modern model for sports integrity. The National Commission vanished, a single office took charge, and every ballpark posted clear rules to keep gambling out of the dugout.

And yes, we sit with Shoeless Joe Jackson. The pure swing, the .375 average, the letter he said he wrote, the $5,000 he took. Should greatness on the field outweigh failure off it? What about Buck Weaver’s silence? These stories aren’t just baseball lore; they’re case studies in governance, incentives, and how a league protects its soul when the odds turn crooked. If you love sports history, ethics in competition, or the origin story of the commissioner’s office, this deep dive is for you.

If this episode sparks you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Your take: should Shoeless Joe be in the Hall of Fame? We’re listening.

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00:00 - Opening Banter And Cider Pick

02:44 - Mad Libs Warm‑Up

07:20 - Setting The Stage: 1919 White Sox

12:45 - Low Pay, Reserve Clause, And Resentment

18:40 - Recruiting Gamblers And Pricing The Fix

24:20 - Rothstein’s Shadow And Missing Money

29:55 - Game One Signal And Early Losses

36:20 - Wavering Fix And Sox Fight Back

41:10 - Threats Before Game Eight And Collapse

46:05 - Rumors, Grand Jury, And Confessions

51:35 - The 1921 Trial And Acquittal

56:30 - Landis’ Lifetime Bans And Aftermath

01:02:20 - Shoeless Joe’s Legacy And Hall Debate

01:07:10 - Governance Reforms And Lasting Impact

01:11:30 - Mad Libs Recap And Closing CTA

WEBVTT

00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:16.719
Oh, hey there.

00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:17.839
Oh, hey there.

00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:18.879
I'm Kate.

00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:19.760
I'm Bradley.

00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:22.079
And this is the History Buffoons.

00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:22.960
Welcome.

00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:23.839
Yes, welcome.

00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:24.480
How are you doing?

00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:25.280
I am doing well.

00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:26.000
How are you today?

00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:26.559
I'm good.

00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:27.280
I'm good.

00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:27.760
Yeah.

00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:33.679
Today we are um recording on day seven.

00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:34.719
Nope.

00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:36.159
Game seven.

00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:39.759
Game seven of the World Series.

00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:40.640
We are, yes.

00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:41.039
So.

00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:51.200
Um, and I'm gonna go right into it because we have a long story today, and it is about a World Series.

00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:52.079
Oh, cool.

00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.719
Yes, nice, yes, I'm excited for that.

00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:55.600
I like baseball.

00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:06.400
So, um, for those of you don't who don't know, we are Brewers fans, Milwaukee Brewers fans, and we got shut out by the Dodgers.

00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:08.400
And it's okay, they're a great team.

00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:10.879
Obviously, yeah, they have some great players.

00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:17.280
Um, but we we do want the Blue Jays to win only because the Dodgers won last year.

00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:20.159
Like, let's get give Toronto a trend a chance.

00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:24.079
And Toronto hasn't won in 32 years, uh the World Series Championship.

00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:26.400
So that's the only reason why I'm voting for them.

00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:27.840
But Dodgers are a great team.

00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:29.200
Bonnie, do you want to get out?

00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:29.680
Oh.

00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:30.879
Bye, Bon.

00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:33.760
Bye, Bonnie.

00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:36.400
They always sneak in, don't they?

00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:37.599
They sure do.

00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:44.159
Okay, so like I said, this is gonna be a longer one, but we're gonna play a game at the beginning and a game at the end.

00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:45.120
Oh, jeez.

00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:48.799
All right, so real quick, we're gonna have a beer.

00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:50.959
Uh, we're starting off with a cider.

00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:54.319
It's Mackenzie's black cherry flavored hard cider.

00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.000
Um, it's very delicious.

00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:57.519
We've actually tried some.

00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:05.599
Yeah, I've had this and um we wanted to rave about it on the podcast because it's delicious.

00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:07.519
We don't go out of our way for ciders a lot.

00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:07.840
No.

00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.039
But um and I don't drink them hardly at all.

00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.759
Right, but once in a great while, and this one's delicious.

00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:19.120
Like it's quite a bit different from the basil mint, so oh, I love the basil mint though.

00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:21.919
But yeah, the Mackenzie's Heart Cider Black Cherry.

00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:22.719
Cheers.

00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:26.560
Um, it's an it's called an American tradition.

00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:27.120
Yeah.

00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:27.919
Where is this?

00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.280
Did we from Utica, New York?

00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:32.000
Oh, okay.

00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:32.479
I didn't know.

00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:33.120
Okay.

00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:35.919
They also had a blueberry one, but we were like, mm-hmm.

00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:37.199
We don't like blueberry.

00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:39.039
I don't like blueberry.

00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:40.879
Um, but it's so good.

00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:41.439
It is.

00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:44.080
So, anyways, all right, let's get into it.

00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.599
Okay, so you remember Mad Libs?

00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:48.319
Oh, yeah.

00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:49.599
Yeah, that's what we're gonna do.

00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:50.800
Oh, Jesus.

00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:55.599
Now I gotta remember my pro like pronouns and adjectives.

00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:57.360
That's cracked.

00:02:57.520 --> 00:02:58.159
Oh boy.

00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:00.000
I haven't been in school in a long time.

00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:02.240
Okay, so the first one.

00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:04.560
I need an adjective.

00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:06.960
Uh funny.

00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:13.840
Um, number two, I need a famous athlete.

00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.560
Uh Herschel Locker.

00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:17.360
Who's that?

00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:18.800
Football player.

00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.039
He's a really good running back.

00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.639
Running back, what does he play currently?

00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:24.639
Or is he a an older He's older.

00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:26.080
He's been out of the league for quite some time.

00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:26.560
Okay.

00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:27.840
What did he play?

00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:29.120
Or what team?

00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.800
Oh boy, was he on Dallas?

00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:34.479
Is that right?

00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:36.319
No, I'm second guessing myself.

00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:37.039
I'm drawing a blank.

00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:39.599
Past tense verb.

00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:43.919
You're already then.

00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:47.840
Plural noun.

00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:49.280
Lemons.

00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:50.800
Wait, is that right?

00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:51.759
Okay.

00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:53.759
A silly nickname.

00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.120
Squiggly face.

00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:02.960
An ING verb.

00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:05.759
Um bending.

00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:09.599
Adjective.

00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:12.000
Courageous.

00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.000
Amount of money.

00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:23.839
Oh, not like uh amount of money.

00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:24.720
It's amount of money.

00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:25.519
Amount of money.

00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:27.360
It's not like amount of money.

00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:28.879
Amount of money.

00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:32.720
Um three hundred and sixty two dollars and seventy-two cents.

00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.879
Three hundred and sixty-two dollars and what?

00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:35.680
Seventy-two cents.

00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:36.959
Seventy-two cents.

00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:37.519
Okay.

00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:43.040
Illegal activity.

00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:44.639
Drug dealing.

00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:49.519
Exclamation.

00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:51.360
Wow.

00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:52.480
Wow.

00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:56.000
A drink.

00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.279
Mackenzie's black cherry hard cider.

00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:02.800
That's fitting.

00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.399
Black cherry hard cider.

00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:08.000
Yes.

00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:10.639
Um, a weapon.

00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:15.199
Uh battle axe.

00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.800
A made-up statistic.

00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.920
Oh, a made-up statistic.

00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:31.439
Um put me on the spot here.

00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.639
Yeah, that one's a trickier one.

00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:35.040
That one's very tricky, so um.

00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:38.319
I don't know.

00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:40.959
Um fuck, keep stalling here.

00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:42.399
Trying to think.

00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:45.600
How many pounds per an inch can you run?

00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:46.959
I don't know.

00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:47.519
Okay.

00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:48.079
Hold on.

00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:49.759
I don't know what that would be.

00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:51.839
Made up statistic.

00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.160
Because everything's a statistic these days.

00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:56.160
Yeah, I'm I'll try to like finagle that one.

00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:56.720
Okay.

00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:57.279
Okay.

00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:59.680
Um, silly nickname.

00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:03.360
Uh slob face.

00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:06.480
With a P or B.

00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:07.360
Slob.

00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:12.639
And a judgy phrase.

00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:15.120
Judgy phrase?

00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:19.360
Oh boy, I don't really judge people, so this one's hard for me.

00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:22.319
What does that mean?

00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.600
Is it more like a condescending thing towards somebody?

00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.639
You could be, yeah.

00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.639
Um judgy phrase.

00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:39.199
Oh, I've got one.

00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:40.720
Oh, then you do it.

00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:46.160
It could be um you should start doing that, people like it better.

00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:46.959
Yes.

00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:48.240
I like that.

00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:51.920
That may have been something I've said in this lifetime.

00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:57.120
It was all in chest, but this works for this.

00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:07.839
So as far as pounds per inch, say a number.

00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:08.800
Twelve.

00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:09.360
Okay.

00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:10.800
Okay.

00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:11.839
I think that'll work.

00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:12.399
Okay.

00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.319
I have no idea what that means either.

00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:15.839
I just came up with something.

00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.959
Okay, so that will be at the very end.

00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:19.839
Oh, okay.

00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.360
Okay, so we're gonna talk about the black socks gambling scandal.

00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:30.319
Oh, wasn't that in like 1906?

00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:31.279
Higher.

00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:32.240
11?

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Higher.

00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:33.759
15.

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A little bit higher.

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17.

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19.

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Damn.

00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:38.720
1919.

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I thought it wasn't that's right.

00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.000
I knew that with um shoeless Joe Jackson.

00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:44.480
Mm-hmm.

00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:46.000
Fuck yeah, let's do it.

00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:51.439
Okay, so the Chicago White Sox of 1919 were a powerhouse.

00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:52.399
The Black Sox?

00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:54.079
They're the White Sox.

00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:54.800
I know.

00:07:54.959 --> 00:08:01.920
So they had recently won the 1917 World Series and had stars basically at at every position.

00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:02.639
Yeah.

00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:07.360
So this is where you can open up the picture that I gave you.

00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.759
It's just a reference for all the people that we're gonna be talking about today.

00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:15.360
And where is that?

00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:16.639
Oh, untitled.

00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:18.560
Which one is it?

00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:23.439
So it's under untitled folder.

00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:25.839
And then it just oh, there it is now.

00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:27.519
That was weird.

00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:32.320
I like how the name of the name of it is called Igor Diotlove.

00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:35.440
Why is it called that?

00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:37.440
Anywho, okay.

00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.279
Okay, so basically, I'll put up a picture here.

00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:46.559
Um, but it's basically just a ball field with all the names and their positions.

00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:48.080
Did they not have a catcher?

00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:50.799
So these are just the players that I'm gonna be talking about.

00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:51.600
Oh, I see.

00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:52.000
Okay.

00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:58.559
Okay, so in left field was shoeless Joe Jackson, a South Carolina batting prodigy.

00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.039
Um, he was illiterate, but he could pretty much hit anything thrown at him.

00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:06.960
His career average batting average was a 0.356.

00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:07.600
Wow.

00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:08.399
Yeah.

00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.480
So when you say averages, you can just say 356.

00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:18.639
Yeah, you don't have to put the point in there because it is obviously uh of one, technically.

00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:21.440
Okay, but yeah, it's just he's he had a 365 bet.

00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:22.480
365?

00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:23.360
Yeah, okay.

00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:24.480
356.

00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:24.879
Sorry.

00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:27.519
Sorry, I don't know if no, I I think I switched it.

00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:28.720
I was a little dyslexic there.

00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:30.639
So at third was Buck Weaver.

00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.000
Buck Weaver, okay.

00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:38.159
The infield featured Chick Gandal at first and Swede Risberg at short.

00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:38.639
Okay.

00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:43.360
And on the mound, they had Eddie um Sicot.

00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:44.960
I should have looked that up.

00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:46.000
Sickot.

00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.600
Um, he was nicknamed Knuckles for Knuckles.

00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:50.240
Yeah.

00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.200
And then we had Claude Lefty Williams.

00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.519
He was the other pitcher that we're gonna talk about.

00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:56.720
Right hander.

00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.440
Um, he must have been.

00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:01.519
If they called him Lefty.

00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:03.279
Yeah, exactly.

00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:06.399
Um sorry, I didn't mean to derail you there.

00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:11.679
Jeez, and then they had um Oscar Happy Felsh.

00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:13.440
Felsh, yeah, in center.

00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:14.720
Felsch, yeah.

00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:19.759
And then by all accounts, the team was pretty dominant.

00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:26.000
Um, but there was a cautionary tale about uh uh amongst them.

00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:26.559
Yeah.

00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:27.039
Yeah.

00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:29.519
Charles Kamisky.

00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:32.240
That's what the ballparker is named after.

00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:32.879
Really?

00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:33.919
Yeah, Kaminski.

00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.679
Apparently he was a dick.

00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:37.679
Well, he's from Chicago.

00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:47.279
Comisky was the White Sox owner, and he was known as the old Roman Roman, and he was a legendary cheapskate.

00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:48.240
Oh, okay.

00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:55.279
He had been a star player in the 1880s himself, but as a player, he was quite stingy.

00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:56.000
Oh, really?

00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:56.639
Yeah.

00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:58.639
Ask me what base he played.

00:10:58.879 --> 00:10:59.759
What position he played?

00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:00.559
What position did he play?

00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:02.399
Because I looked it up because I thought you would ask me.

00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:04.159
First base, thank you.

00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:05.759
Thank you, thank you.

00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:07.679
You're welcome.

00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:13.440
So the players' salaries at this time was low, even for the times.

00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:13.840
Sure.

00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:14.399
Yeah.

00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:26.639
So the Sox might have been the highest paying team in 1919 on paper, but many felt Kamiski was pretty miserly and paid his talented men no more than the worst players.

00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:26.960
Oh.

00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:28.159
If that makes sense.

00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.559
Everyone got paid the same for the most part.

00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:31.759
Pretty much, yeah.

00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.120
Um, no perks.

00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:42.240
He gave the team a bonus for winning the 1917 pennant, which turned out to be nothing more than um flat flat champagne.

00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:44.720
How did how did he make it flat?

00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.120
He probably shook it up like an like an asshole.

00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:47.759
I don't know.

00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:49.039
Like an asshole.

00:11:49.679 --> 00:12:02.879
He even promised pitcher Eddie Sikat a$10,000 bonus if he won 30 games and then promptly benched him after his 29th win to ensure he'd never collect.

00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.000
What a dick.

00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:04.879
I told you.

00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:05.440
Wow.

00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.080
Yeah that's a dick fucking move.

00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:14.399
Komisky's penny pension was so bad, rumor has it, he refused to pay for laundry.

00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:20.799
So he made players wash their own uniforms and they chose not to.

00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:28.159
So after each game, the white socks uniforms got filthier and filthier out of protest.

00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:28.799
Right.

00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:35.440
And it kind of turned turned the uh the team's white jerseys into black jerseys.

00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:38.240
They have, I like their old black jerseys.

00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:38.639
Yeah.

00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:42.399
They actually have black jerseys, they're they're always really sharp to me.

00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:49.440
So beyond being underpaid, the Sox players were trapped by baseball's strict reserve clause.

00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:49.919
Okay.

00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.519
Um, which bound them to their team with no free agency.

00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:57.840
So even after your contract ends, you're stuck there, you're still stuck there.

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.519
So I'm not really understanding.

00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.200
There's no union, there's no leverage.

00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:02.000
Interesting.

00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.720
Yeah, and all the players were really frustrated with this.

00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:09.360
I would imagine so because they're literally stuck in this shitty situation.

00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:09.919
Yeah.

00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.519
I never heard of that before.

00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:12.559
So interesting.

00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:18.879
By late 1919, with the Sox headed to the World Series, the this perfect storm was brewing.

00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.279
Okay.

00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:24.559
Some players saw a golden opportunity to stick it to Kamiski and make a buck on the side.

00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:27.759
Ah, so that's what it all kind of stemmed from.

00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:28.320
Gotcha.

00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:34.080
So the eight players that I listed, yeah, the ones that you see on this um the picture picture.

00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:34.320
Yep.

00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:35.360
Yep, yep.

00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:37.440
Were implicated in this plot.

00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:38.960
They were called the eight man out.

00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:40.159
Eight men out, yeah.

00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:40.799
That's a movie.

00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:41.600
Oh, is it?

00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.039
Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.279
And then Ray Leota played Shulas Joe Jackson and Field the Dreams.

00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:54.399
So Chick Gandal, the first baseman, yeah, he was the alleged mastermind.

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:54.960
Oh.

00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.039
A third he was 31.

00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:59.679
He was kind of a rough and tumble first baseman type.

00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:03.360
Gandal was the ringleader who first conspired with gamblers.

00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:03.919
Okay.

00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:11.440
So he was tired of Kamiski's tight fit tight fist, and Gandal saw nothing wrong with earning a little bonus on the side.

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:14.080
So he pulled some strings.

00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.279
Oh dear.

00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.360
Now, Knuckles, Mr.

00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:19.200
Eddie Sickot.

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:21.440
I'm so sorry if I butchered that.

00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:29.840
Oh, I'm I'm he was the pitcher at he was 35 and was one of the game's best players, essentially.

00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:30.320
Okay.

00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.879
And he was the presumed game one starter.

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:33.440
Sure.

00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:33.919
Okay.

00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:41.360
He also had that personal grudge with the being benched on game number 29 out of 30.

00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:42.159
What a dick.

00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:42.559
Yeah.

00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:43.360
Yeah.

00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:51.279
So Sickot agreed to participate if he got$10,000 up front.

00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:51.840
Oh.

00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:52.559
Yeah.

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:59.039
And Gandal knew that Eddie if knew getting Eddie on board was pretty crucial.

00:14:59.279 --> 00:14:59.679
Sure.

00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:02.639
And they needed him to be part of the fix.

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.200
Okay.

00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:06.000
Well, yeah, especially if he's pitching.

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:06.639
Yeah.

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:10.559
So then we had Claude Lefty Williams, the other pitcher.

00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:11.039
Yeah.

00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:14.960
He was 26 left-hander with 23 wins that year.

00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:20.000
Um, he was a lot more soft-spoken, but still under Gandal's sway.

00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:20.480
Sure.

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.960
And Lefty went along with this scheme.

00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:23.519
Right.

00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:30.240
His motivation was pretty much like everybody else, just kind of greed and and grievance kind of a thing.

00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:31.120
Right.

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.320
That's funny.

00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:40.000
I mean, it's funny how the owner basically fucked all these people into doing this.

00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.600
It drove them to do this.

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.840
Obviously, it still wasn't right what they did.

00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:44.399
No.

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:54.799
But um, it's crazy that because of him just being a stingy owner and fucking that one guy out of 10 grand bonus and whatever, not even washing their fucking clothes.

00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:56.159
I mean, come on, what the hell?

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:56.799
Yeah.

00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:00.080
So then we have George Buckweaver, the third baseman.

00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.360
He was actually kind of a clean-ish conspirator.

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:03.840
Okay.

00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:13.440
Um, Buck was a fiery, talented third baseman who attended the fix meetings, but insists that he never agreed to throw the games or accept money.

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.519
He was just kind of a stand-in almost.

00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.960
He was like a fly on the wall.

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.000
That seems weird.

00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:18.960
But a known fly.

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:19.279
Yeah.

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.159
See, that's the thing.

00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.879
It's like, why are you going then if you're not going with it?

00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:23.120
Yeah.

00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:24.159
That seems odd.

00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:28.080
Um, Weaver actually ended up playing really hard in the World Series.

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.879
Um, he battled a 324 with no errors.

00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:31.840
He batted.

00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:33.200
Yeah, that's what I said.

00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.480
I said battled.

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.679
Of course I did.

00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:42.159
Sorry.

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:46.320
That makes me cough sometimes.

00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:54.240
So he is in this like eight man out um he's part of the group fiasco because he didn't report it.

00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:58.159
He was in the meetings, but he he didn't collect money, but he didn't report it.

00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:58.559
Yeah.

00:16:58.720 --> 00:16:59.200
Yeah.

00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:03.759
He's guilty of being in the wrong room, but not actually cheating, if that makes sense.

00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:04.720
Oh, yeah, I get it.

00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:05.119
Okay.

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.759
Shoe this Joe Jackson, the left fielder.

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.880
Well, I think he's the most famous of the bunch.

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:14.720
Yeah, he was the biggest um name and a fan favorite.

00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:15.200
Yep.

00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.200
He was illiterate and naive.

00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.720
Um, he did he was not at the initial meetings.

00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:21.200
Okay.

00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:28.000
Um, he said that he was never invited, but we all I already told you that Gandal wanted him to be a part of this.

00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:28.319
Right.

00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:33.039
Obviously, like he's he's gonna help them throw the game.

00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.279
Well, yeah, because he's one of the best players.

00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:41.200
And if they if if he's hidden away to win his normal thing, he's gonna be like, wait a minute, we're supposed to lose, dude.

00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.079
Right, exactly.

00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.480
So they needed their star, essentially.

00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:44.880
Yeah.

00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:54.799
Um, Jackson later testified that Gandal offered him ten thousand dollars and he refused twice, and that Gandal basically told him the fix is in with or without you.

00:17:54.960 --> 00:18:03.599
Oh, so Joe ended up with five thousand dollars in dirty money, which he claimed um was shoved at him by teammates, like, here, fucking take it.

00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.759
And he's like, I don't want to, I don't want fine.

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:06.799
Jesus.

00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.880
Um, in the series, Jackson actually played extremely well.

00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:15.119
He hit the only home run of the series and batted a 375.

00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.319
Wow, that's pretty good.

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.119
Yeah.

00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.960
Then we have Oscar Happy Felsh from center field.

00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:21.359
Okay.

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:23.599
He was power, he was a power hitter.

00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:31.279
Um, he wasn't obviously happy about his salary either, and he got roped into the fix of of you know the promise of a payday.

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:34.559
Even though he his name, nickname was happy, he wasn't happy.

00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:35.519
It's weird.

00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:39.119
He was a 300 hitter with a big ego.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:39.839
Okay.

00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:45.519
Later admitting, quote, I got lucky and caught on as a big leaguer, but I wasn't making big league money.

00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:46.240
Gotcha.

00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:52.880
So in the series, felshi's plays, raised some eyebrows, he missed some catchable balls.

00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:56.559
People wondered if Happy was deliberately playing sad.

00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.000
Playing sad.

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:00.480
Okay.

00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:02.559
Now we've got Fred McMillan.

00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:03.119
Okay.

00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:06.240
He was a utility field infielder.

00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:09.519
Um, he was kind of like an accidental conspirator.

00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:10.480
Oh, okay.

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:10.960
Yeah.

00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:17.920
He hardly ever played, uh, but he happened to overhear that a fix was happening.

00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:22.319
So Fred's reaction was essentially cut me in or I'll rat you out.

00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:22.960
Oh.

00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.160
Yeah.

00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.720
Because he wasn't getting playing time anyway.

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.440
So because he probably was not as good as the other guys.

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:29.920
Okay.

00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:30.559
Interesting.

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.400
So the others agreed to um to include him.

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:42.960
Um, and his role in the games were was really minimal, and he got supposedly was gonna get an equal slice of the payoff.

00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:43.599
Jeez.

00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:47.680
And then we have the shortstop, Charles Swede Risberg.

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.079
Okay.

00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:51.680
Um, Swede was a big, strong shortstop.

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:54.319
He was known to be a bit of a bully.

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:59.839
Um, he was kind of Gandalf's muscle, essentially, in the clubhouse and like during the fix meetings.

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.240
Sure.

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:07.359
If any teammate wavered on the fix, Suede would sorry, Swede would persuade them.

00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:09.680
Oh yeah, geez, he'd persuade them.

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:11.119
He'd persuade them.

00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:14.400
Yo, that's so cute.

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:18.559
I mean, right?

00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:21.359
That's so cute.

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.720
I'm gonna write that down.

00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.160
Oh, thanks.

00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:30.960
Okay, so though oh, he hit a measly at 83.

00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:31.839
Oh god.

00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:36.240
Yeah, so he got like a hit.

00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:37.119
Yeah, basically.

00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:37.440
Yeah.

00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.079
Jesus.

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.039
Yeah.

00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:46.799
So with this motley crew of frustrated talent, if I do say so myself, yeah, the stage was set.

00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.200
All they needed was some gamblers.

00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:49.759
Okay.

00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:50.240
Okay.

00:20:50.720 --> 00:21:06.240
September of 1919, as the world saw world, as the White Sox um headed towards the pennant, Chick Gandal quietly began shopping, shopping for this dangerous idea of throwing the World Series for money.

00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:06.720
Yeah.

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:17.279
And on September 18th in Boston, during a road trip, Gandal met with a known Boston bookie, Joseph Sport Sullivan, in a hotel.

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.559
Mm-hmm.

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:18.880
Okay.

00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.720
Over drinks and cigars.

00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:21.039
Yeah.

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:23.519
Chick let Sullivan in on his plan.

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:27.519
He and some of his teammates were willing to lose on purpose.

00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:31.119
He said, quote, I think we can put it in the bag.

00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.279
Yeah.

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:33.920
Okay.

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:39.759
The price tag discussed was$80,000 to tank the series.

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:44.720
Gandal later upped it to an even$100,000.

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:45.519
Okay.

00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:48.319
Approximately$1.8 million today.

00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:49.839
God, that's so little.

00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.440
It doesn't seem like much.

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:57.680
So obviously, this is over a hundred years ago, so money's a lot different.

00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:00.160
But even for today, you said 1.8?

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.920
That is nothing.

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.359
Divided by$8.

00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:04.559
Eight people?

00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:06.480
I mean, that is nothing.

00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:06.960
Yeah.

00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:11.359
Especially when you know like people like uh, what's his name?

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.480
The guy on the Mets.

00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.000
Soto, I think.

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.039
No, is that right?

00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:16.000
I could be wrong.

00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:16.880
Doesn't matter.

00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:21.279
One guy on the Mets just signed for like$765 million or whatever.

00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.960
Something insane like that.

00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:30.480
Or Shoei Otani on the Dodgers is getting like I think his is well over 600 million or something, too.

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.920
I don't remember exactly what it was.

00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:38.880
Or fucking Mike Trout signed a few this is a few years back for 450 million dollars.

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:43.519
One fucking person, and they're supposed to split$100,000, 1.8 today.

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:44.559
That is nothing.

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.160
Holy shit.

00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:46.720
Yeah.

00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:54.000
But I mean, that's this is the during the era even when like football players used to play football.

00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.359
I know we're talking about baseball, but like similar thing.

00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:03.200
They would play football in the fall and then they would go sit to their regular job the rest of the year kind of thing.

00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:05.279
Cause they just didn't make any money doing it.

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:05.759
Yeah.

00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:13.200
But now they make all sports figures basketball, football, baseball, even hockey.

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:20.000
I mean, hockey's probably they're probably more underpaid than most of the other sports, from what I understand, but they probably still make pretty good fucking money.

00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:20.319
Yeah.

00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:26.319
So it's just wild that they wanted to do this for ten thousand dollars each.

00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.920
That's fucking insane.

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:28.799
Yeah.

00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:32.400
So Sullivan was no stranger to fixing outcomes.

00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:36.240
He was very interested, but yet he didn't have that kind of money on hand.

00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:38.079
So he'd need backers.

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:38.640
Sure.

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:44.079
So a few days later, back in Chicago and then in New York, they're going all over the place trying to find these men.

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.480
Right.

00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:47.519
The players held secret meetings to firm up who was in.

00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:55.599
So on September 21st, in Gandal's room at a hotel in New York City, several White Sox players gathered to hear the proposal.

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.079
Okay.

00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:06.079
Accounts varied exactly on who attended, but the key figures like Sicott, Williams, Felsch, and Risberg were there.

00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:12.160
Um, so was Buck Weaver, who maintains he only sat and listened, but you're still part of it, yeah.

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.119
You're still going.

00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:13.759
Yeah.

00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:18.640
So it was at this meeting that Eddie Sicott demanded his$10,000 up front.

00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.039
Right.

00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:19.519
Okay.

00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:22.400
So that was basically$187,000 today.

00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.359
Jesus Christ.

00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:26.160
Basically a signing bonus for going crooked.

00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:27.200
Yeah, for sure.

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:27.920
Yeah.

00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:31.599
If the money wasn't going to be produced, he was going to back out.

00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:37.519
So this prompted one of the group's smarter ideas, relatively speaking, getting the money in advance.

00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:37.920
Yep.

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:43.119
Then potentially double crossing the gamblers by not following through and still winning.

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:44.319
Oh dear.

00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:44.799
Yes.

00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:46.160
They should have done that.

00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:52.799
Third baseman Buck Weaver supposedly suggested this double cross plan, take the cash and then win the series.

00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:58.960
As Gandal put it later, quote, we agreed this was a hell of a brainy plan.

00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:00.079
Okay.

00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.480
All old timey talk.

00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:04.880
We're gonna con the con men.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.680
Con the con man.

00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:11.119
Uh what a brainy plan.

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:22.319
So at this point, the ball player scheme turned into a circus of competing gamblers because world word spread.

00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:31.440
See, don't you think that would I mean I know they're in like a seedy fucking environment with the gamblers and stuff, but don't you feel like, hey man, word could get out on this?

00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.359
So what if one of them talked?

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.440
So wow.

00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:36.079
Yep.

00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:40.960
So Gandalhead started with Sport Sullivan, um, but word got around.

00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:41.519
Yeah.

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:44.640
Um, and it was like shark smelling blood in the water.

00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:47.920
Like every big time better wanted a piece of this action.

00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:48.400
Right.

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:54.240
Soon there were multiple groups of gamblers trying to get in on the fix, sometimes unbeknownst to each other.

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.119
Oh, sure.

00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:55.759
Yeah.

00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:01.119
So one of those eager betters was ex-pitcher Sleepy Bill Burns.

00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:02.000
Sleepy.

00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:02.480
Mm-hmm.

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:06.079
And his pal Billy Maharg.

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.359
Maharg?

00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.319
Apparently it's Graham spelled backwards.

00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.240
Oh, that's weird.

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:15.920
He needed an alias, and Graham didn't sound good enough.

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:16.799
Maharg.

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:17.680
Maharg.

00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:21.359
Doesn't it sound like we're like the seven dwarfs up in here?

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.759
We got lefty, happy, and we've got maharg.

00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:27.519
Mahar sleepy and yeah, yeah.

00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:29.519
Shoeless.

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:40.400
So hearing the rumors of the fix, Burns and Maharg um approached Sicat with an offer to top Sol Sullivan's price.

00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:40.960
Okay.

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:44.160
And that's when they dangled the$100,000 to throw the series.

00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:44.640
Gotcha.

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.279
So Gandal and the pre um the players actually agreed to this richer deal at first.

00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:54.720
Um, but Burns and Maharg didn't actually have the thousand thousand dollars either.

00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.440
Of course.

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.720
They were middlemen.

00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:57.519
Yeah.

00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:03.440
So they decided to recruit the biggest fish in their pond, Arnold Rothstein.

00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:05.839
Oh, good old Rothstein.

00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:14.000
So Arnold, the big bankroll, Rothstein was a notorious New York gambling kingpin.

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:14.799
Yeah.

00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:15.359
Okay.

00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:20.079
Um, he was actually a character in The Great Gatsby.

00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:20.640
Right.

00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:21.440
Yeah.

00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:28.640
Um Rothstein was wealthy, he was smart, he was ruthlessly fond of betting.

00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:29.279
Sure.

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:32.799
Um, he said he would bet on anything he could fix.

00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:35.519
Well, right, because he can force the outcome.

00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:38.799
Yeah, and he could finance the hundred thousand dollar bribe.

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.200
Sure.

00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:40.000
Yeah.

00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:42.880
But initially, Rothstein was quite skeptical.

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:50.000
When Burns and Mahark tracked him down at a at racetrack with their proposal, Rothstein basically blew them off.

00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:56.079
Oh, thinking this uh scheme was too risky and complicated, so many players involved, that kind of a thing.

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.240
Too many chances of it going bad.

00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:58.640
Yeah.

00:27:58.720 --> 00:27:59.039
Yeah.

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:11.440
According to one account, Rothstein equipped a rather off-color analogy to express his doubts, saying, quote, if nine guys go to a bed with a girl, she'll have a tough time proving the tenth is the father.

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:14.960
Well said.

00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:15.759
Yep.

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.319
So too many cooks in the kitchen.

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:18.720
Yeah.

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.960
Basically, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:22.000
That's funny.

00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:26.640
Behind the scenes, though, Rothstein was maneuvering.

00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:27.839
He was he was gathering.

00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:28.319
Sure.

00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:28.720
Yeah.

00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:32.559
Some historians believe that he quietly decided to bankroll part of the operation.

00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:39.680
After all, once he could do it at arm's length, so he kind of just took over quietly, went behind the scenes and did it.

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.319
Yeah.

00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:45.119
So sport Sullivan also went to Rothstein for help.

00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:48.880
And this time Rothstein bit, which he was already in on it.

00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:50.240
But he's like, sure.

00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:50.799
Okay.

00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:58.880
Um, he sent an associate, Nat Evans, to meet with the players in Chicago and assure them that the money was coming.

00:28:59.039 --> 00:28:59.279
Right.

00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:03.680
So Rothstein agreed to fund$40,000 up front, which was half.

00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:04.240
Yeah.

00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:08.880
Um, with another$40,000 to be held until the end of the series.

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:09.759
Which makes sense.

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:10.720
Oh, for sure.

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.160
50%, yeah.

00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:17.519
Well, and like they said, they wanted to possibly double cross them and they need that money up front.

00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.599
And then obviously, yeah.

00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:21.039
So, no, I get that.

00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:31.359
Sullivan, entrusted with the first 40k, promptly gambled almost all of it on the Reds to win, which is who they were playing, the World Series.

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.079
Oh, okay.

00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:32.559
Okay.

00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:35.200
Instead of paying the players.

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.559
All right.

00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:45.680
Sullivan figured the players would get their money after they lost, and he might as well make the betting profit in the meantime.

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:49.200
So the double crossers were double crossing.

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:52.160
So much double crossing.

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:55.759
Does that mean we're straight and narrow now?

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.519
I don't think so.

00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:58.000
Okay.

00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.759
In the end, just before.

00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:04.400
Game one of the World Series, only$10,000 in cash actually reached the players.

00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.119
Oh, wow.

00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:05.680
Okay.

00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:13.839
On the night of September 30th, Eddie Sickot found$10,000 under his pillow in the team hotel.

00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:16.240
Basically, his upfront front fee.

00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:16.559
Yeah.

00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:18.160
It's like a fucking tooth ferry.

00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.920
That's one hell of a tooth fairy.

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.559
No kidding.

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:22.240
I only got like change.

00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:27.599
Um, Sickott promptly sewed the money into the lining of his jacket for safekeeping.

00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:28.640
That's fucking wild.

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:30.480
The rest of the team, zero.

00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:31.920
They got zero money up front.

00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:38.640
But he was adamant that he needed his money up front, otherwise, he's gonna back out and or pay possibly say hey.

00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:39.200
Right.

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:42.640
So they wanted to keep him happy, I guess we'll call it.

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:42.880
Yeah.

00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:45.039
So the fix was now in motion.

00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:49.119
They expected to get paid in installments as they intentionally lost games.

00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:49.519
Okay.

00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:54.640
So roughly$20,000 after each defeat in the best of nine series.

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:57.279
Isn't it weird weird that it used to be best of nine?

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.079
That's a lot.

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.359
Yeah, that's a lot of games.

00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:06.160
If they lost five games and they're by the series, the total would add up to the agreed upon$100,000.

00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:07.119
Okay.

00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:07.839
Yeah.

00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:16.000
So October 1st, 1919, game one of the World Series, Chicago White Sox versus the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati.

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:16.559
Yeah.

00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:22.799
Um, whispers of the fix had started started circulating among the gambler community, which everybody knew.

00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:26.000
Yeah, that's why like they went to too many fucking people.

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:26.480
Yeah.

00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:30.400
And then too many people talked because shit's gonna get out.

00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:35.200
And then it caused betting odds to shift dramatically in favor of the the Reds.

00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:35.920
Right.

00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:39.839
So a few sports writers had started hearing these rumors too.

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.559
Right.

00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:50.160
Um, writer Hugh Fullerton and ex-pitcher Christine Matthewson, um, they agreed to keep out keep an eye out on the field of anything fishy.

00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:50.880
Interesting.

00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:51.200
Yeah.

00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:54.400
Still, most of the fans were oblivious and they were there to see the good show.

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:56.079
You know, good wild, yeah.

00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:57.200
So the game began.

00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:59.759
Eddie Sicott's first batter faced.

00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:06.079
Reds leadoff man, Maury Wrath, was hit by a pitch square in the back.

00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.480
Oh.

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:09.599
And that was just the second pitch of the game.

00:32:09.680 --> 00:32:12.799
So, like one pitch and then second pitch got hit in the back.

00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:13.279
Wow.

00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:15.920
This was a pre-arranged sign to the gamblers.

00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:16.960
That they were gonna do it.

00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:18.079
We're gonna go through with it.

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:18.559
Gotcha.

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.359
That was the sign.

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:21.359
I'm gonna hit this this batter.

00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:22.160
Oh, wow.

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:26.319
I mean, that's a good because it can't that can obviously happen, but yeah.

00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:26.799
Wow.

00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:27.200
Yeah.

00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:27.920
All right.

00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:33.920
So when this fixed signal, the game unraveled from there for the socks.

00:32:34.079 --> 00:32:38.799
Yeah, Sicat, normally a controlled pitcher, suddenly looked inexperienced.

00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:42.720
He gave up hit after hip and made uncharacteristic mistakes.

00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:43.200
Sure.

00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:43.599
Okay.

00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:52.880
In one instance, he bumbled a routine grounder and threw wildly to second base, flubbing a double play and drawing suspicious glances from the press box.

00:32:53.119 --> 00:32:53.839
Oh dear.

00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:56.799
Of course, the Cincinnati Reds were like, This is great.

00:32:57.039 --> 00:32:58.000
Look at us go.

00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:59.119
We're winning.

00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:01.200
The Reds won nine to one.

00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:02.000
Jesus.

00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:06.960
Sicat got knocked out by the fourth inning after giving up his barrage of hits and runs.

00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:07.519
Sure.

00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:10.400
Quote, he looked like hot garbage out there.

00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:12.480
How does hot garbage look?

00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:14.400
Probably like Sicat.

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:16.240
I see what you did there.

00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:20.480
Meanwhile, some White Sox players were too bad to ignore.

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.039
Right.

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:23.119
Like they were, you're too obvious.

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:23.599
Right.

00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:31.279
Shortstop Swede Riseberg fielded a grounder casually and made an unhurried throw to first, missing a sure double play.

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:32.000
Right.

00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:34.079
Buck Weaver.

00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:34.640
Okay.

00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:39.200
Um, he he uncorked.

00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:40.720
I don't know why I wrote that.

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:50.160
Um, he had a wild throw after fielding a bunt, causing a collision that knocked the ball loose.

00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:50.720
Okay.

00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:55.200
So it ultimately looked like the three stooches out there on the field.

00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.880
Like when we see the cubs do that.

00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:00.640
Oh my gosh.

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:03.519
When there's three going after the same ball, I always say, run into each other.

00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:04.960
Run into each other, run into each other.

00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:06.319
Cubs have done that for us.

00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:06.720
I know.

00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:07.839
Because I hate the cubs.

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.039
They suck.

00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:14.400
So the next game, uh, game two on the mound was Claude Lefty Williams.

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.519
Okay, so that's the other one.

00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:16.000
Yep.

00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:20.400
Claude, um, perhaps nervous, watched, walked a bunch of Reds.

00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:23.840
Um, they lost four to two, but that's what he was supposed to do.

00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:29.920
So don't you think like they were just gonna plan on losing five straight?

00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:33.280
Wouldn't it make sense to throw a win in there?

00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:34.880
Yes, it does.

00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:41.119
Because that would kind of pull suspicion, like, oh, maybe they are trying, they're just not playing well right now or something.

00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:41.840
Yeah.

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:46.239
Because I feel like, especially in nine-game series, you have to lose five.

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:48.079
It's a lot of games in a row to lose.

00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:48.559
Yeah.

00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:49.679
They do win.

00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:50.320
They do, okay.

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:51.360
They do win one, at least.

00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:52.559
Okay, gotcha.

00:34:53.039 --> 00:35:02.239
So while not as blatant of a score as the game one, um, Chicago's play was still really lackluster.

00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:06.159
And after two games, the heavily favored White Sox were down 0-2 in the series.

00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:06.880
Right.

00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:12.800
So, more alarmingly, for our eight conspirators, they had not been paid as promised.

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:13.360
Right.

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:18.079
After game one's loss, the players expected the$20,000 payout.

00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:23.280
They got the money's tied up in bets right now, kind of a thing.

00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:32.480
After game two, Gandal angrily confronted the gambling goat, the middleman, demanding$40,000 owed for the two losses.

00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:33.280
Right.

00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:41.679
And the bag men actually scounged together about$10,000 more, bringing the measly total to$20,000.

00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:42.559
Jesus Christ.

00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:43.519
The pillow cash.

00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.000
Yeah, yeah.

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:45.440
Wow.

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:45.840
Yeah.

00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:52.159
That's fucking amazing that they're like, they plan this whole thing and they're getting literally fucked.

00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:55.119
And they get even more fucked afterwards.

00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:58.239
So that was half of what they should have had by now.

00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:03.599
The Sox players realized that they were being strung along, betrayed by the betrayers.

00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:04.239
Yeah.

00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:08.239
And at this point, several of them got cold feet about continuing the fix.

00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:10.400
So they're like, maybe we should start playing it.

00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:13.440
Yeah, they're like, to heck with throwing games if we're not getting paid.

00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:14.239
Well, right.

00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:16.960
The whole point of doing what they're doing is to get paid.

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:18.159
So okay.

00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:23.920
So the conspirators begin whispering about switching back to honest baseball and trying to win the series back.

00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:24.480
Okay.

00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:31.280
And so in game three, with a rookie pitcher named Dickie Kerr, who was on the bound but not in the fix.

00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:31.679
Right.

00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:33.920
Um, the White Sox actually tried.

00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:34.239
Oh.

00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.400
Um, Chicago won three to zero.

00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:36.960
Okay.

00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:39.280
Now the gamblers were like, oh shit.

00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:41.039
So did they get them their money?

00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:48.159
Well, to keep the fix going before game four, the gamblers finally coughed up, coughed up another 20,000.

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:50.400
So this is a total of 40,000 they gave him.

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:51.280
Yes, yes.

00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:51.760
Okay.

00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:57.519
And he promised another 20k after game four if the Sox lost it.

00:36:57.760 --> 00:36:58.079
Okay.

00:36:58.320 --> 00:36:58.639
Okay.

00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:08.400
So Gandal took the 20,000 and split it four ways around$5,000 each among Riseberg, Felsh, Williams, and Jackson.

00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:08.960
Okay.

00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:13.920
Gandal cut out McMullen and Weaver from the split.

00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:16.159
They would actually never see a dime.

00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:17.360
Why did he do that?

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:20.639
Fred McMullen wasn't originally part of the plan.

00:37:20.880 --> 00:37:25.039
He eavesdropped on a meeting and basically said, Cut me in or I'll spill the beans.

00:37:25.199 --> 00:37:25.519
Right.

00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:29.519
Um, Buck Weaver attended the fixed meeting, but refused to say he was, yeah.

00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:32.800
Yeah, he refused to participate and never accepted any money.

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:35.760
So Gandal saw him as like not part of it.

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:36.320
Part of it.

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:36.559
Yeah.

00:37:36.719 --> 00:37:36.880
Yeah.

00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:38.079
Makes sense.

00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:40.239
So the fix resumed.

00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:41.119
Game four.

00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:45.360
Oh, also, that wasn't part of my research before, but you're welcome.

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:48.719
And put it in there just for you because I knew you would ask that channel.

00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:52.559
Wow.

00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:54.559
That was part of my research.

00:37:55.679 --> 00:37:56.960
Let's keep that going.

00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:58.400
Let's move on.

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.599
Jesus.

00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:01.920
Game four went to Cincinnati two to zero.

00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:05.039
Was a cotton back on the mound doing his best worst ever.

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:06.639
His best worst.

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.960
His best worst.

00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:15.760
Eddie Eddie pitched well for a few innings and then imploded in one inning.

00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:16.400
On purpose.

00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:19.199
He made two errors in the fifth inning alone.

00:38:19.440 --> 00:38:19.760
Okay.

00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:22.159
Um a bad look for a veteran.

00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:22.639
Right.

00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:28.880
Game five the next day saw Lefty Williams lose again, five to zero, barely putting up a fight.

00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:33.679
And at that point, the Reds led the series series uh four games to one.

00:38:33.840 --> 00:38:34.320
Yeah.

00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:39.519
So the White Sox had effectively secured Cincinnati's championship.

00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:40.320
Pretty much.

00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:46.159
So the double crossing and mutual distrust hit a climax after game five.

00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:46.719
Okay.

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:53.599
The gamblers again failed to deliver the promised additional money to the players for the latest losses.

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:55.039
Oh dear.

00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:59.760
The total paid out was still far below what was owed.

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:00.239
Right.

00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:01.280
Agreed upon, yeah.

00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:01.840
Yes.

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:02.159
Okay.

00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:04.320
So in the players' eyes, the deal's off.

00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:05.280
They've been lied to.

00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:09.920
They just decided to stop tanking and play to win the rest of the way.

00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:10.800
Oh wow.

00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:16.000
In game six, the Sox came out swinging, winning five to four in extra innings.

00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:16.639
Oh wow.

00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:20.960
They followed that in game seven with another legit victory, four to one.

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:24.639
So right now it's four to three in the series.

00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:25.440
Okay.

00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:26.159
Yes.

00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:29.519
So the series stood red's four, uh, socks three.

00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:31.039
Yeah, through seven games.

00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:31.440
Yeah.

00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:34.559
So like the impossible is starting to seem like it could be possible.

00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:39.840
Like these little measly black socks coming up here when in the series.

00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:40.639
White Sox?

00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:42.079
Yes, the White Sox.

00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:44.159
They call it the Black Sox.

00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:46.480
They weren't they used to be the Black Sox?

00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:47.280
No.

00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:52.639
So they called it the Black Sox one because of their filthy ass uniforms, but also because of the gambling scandal.

00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:53.280
I see.

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:53.519
Okay.

00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:56.400
Okay.

00:39:56.639 --> 00:40:00.239
The gamblers who had bet big on Cincinnati were now sweating bullets.

00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:04.320
So Arnold Rothstein um was not the type to leave things to chance.

00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:04.639
Right.

00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:13.199
So with potentially huge winnings and his reputation at stake, he um took decisive action to ensure that the Socks didn't complete their double cross.

00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:13.679
Okay.

00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:21.360
So prior to game eight, a gangster associate of Rothstein paid a threatening visit to pitcher Lefty Williams.

00:40:21.679 --> 00:40:23.360
The message was really clear.

00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:24.239
I'm sure it was.

00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:31.039
Lose game eight in the first inning, or you and possibly your family will face dire consequences.

00:40:31.360 --> 00:40:32.159
Oh dear.

00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:35.199
But again, pay them their money then.

00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:43.440
So I mean, this is why doing shit like this is not a good idea.

00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:44.880
It's not a good look on you.

00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:48.800
October 9th, 1919, game eight commenced.

00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:49.440
Yep.

00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:56.320
Terrified Lefty Williams took the mound for Chicago and promptly did exactly what the gangsters wanted.

00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:56.960
Sure.

00:40:57.119 --> 00:41:01.039
He gave up four straight hits and three runs all in the very first inning.

00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:01.599
Wow.

00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:02.400
Yeah.

00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:09.039
Um, this was um also the time when they yanked him out, and they're like, okay, you're done after the first inning.

00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:09.360
You're done.

00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:10.719
We can't have you no more.

00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:11.119
Yeah.

00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:11.519
Okay.

00:41:11.679 --> 00:41:19.440
So with Chicago's morale broken and pitching stuff, then the Reds went on to beat the White Sox 10-5, clinching the World Series five games to three.

00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:20.079
Wow.

00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:26.719
So the Reds became the champions, though their victory was completely overshadowed by whispers that it was handed to them.

00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:27.519
Sure.

00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:35.519
So one little footnote in that final game eight, shoeless Joe Jacks Jackson hit the only home run of the entire series.

00:41:35.840 --> 00:41:36.719
Wow, that's wild.

00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:37.199
Yeah.

00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:46.320
Um, even in defeat, and though technically part of the fix, Joe Jackson was like, I can't not do something.

00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:46.719
Right.

00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:48.719
I can't help a little bit, you know.

00:41:48.960 --> 00:41:49.760
Oh, for sure.

00:41:50.239 --> 00:41:57.599
So he and Buck Weaver also ended the series as statistical stars for Chicago, leading the team and hitting and fielding perfectly.

00:41:57.840 --> 00:41:58.400
Oh wow.

00:41:58.480 --> 00:41:58.800
Yeah.

00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:05.119
And that's really sad because this tainted their careers so bad.

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:08.880
I mean, Shula Joe Jackson was like a promising baseball player.

00:42:09.679 --> 00:42:11.360
Anyways, we'll get to that.

00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:17.920
So these facts would later become key arguments for who believed Jackson and Weaver were too good to be guilty.

00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:18.239
Right.

00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:19.199
Because they did well.

00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:19.760
Yeah.

00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:25.599
But in October 1919, um, the the the fix wasn't quite public yet.

00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:26.079
Right.

00:42:26.320 --> 00:42:31.119
All anyone knew was that the Mighty White Sox had inexplicitly fallen to the Reds.

00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:31.840
Sure.

00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:34.880
Um, some called it the biggest upset in baseball history.

00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:37.280
Others started calling them the Black Sox.

00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.400
Interesting.

00:42:38.639 --> 00:42:38.960
Yeah.

00:42:39.280 --> 00:42:44.800
So after this series ended, rumors of the fix um in the background started kind of boiling over.

00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:45.440
Right.

00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:54.480
Um, the the journalist that I had mentioned before, Hugh Fullerton, wrote that the suspected that they suspected this series had been played for gamblers rather than for glory.

00:42:54.800 --> 00:43:02.400
Fullerton even published a an article in December 1919 openly asking if baseball was crooked.

00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:03.280
Oh, geez.

00:43:03.599 --> 00:43:04.400
Not just the team.

00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:08.719
So he thought everyone kind of was in on it, kind of scenario.

00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:09.280
Wow.

00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:09.920
All right.

00:43:10.320 --> 00:43:17.199
So the very idea that beloved baseball heroes would deliberately betray the game was really hard for people to swallow.

00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:17.679
Sure.

00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:19.280
I mean, it's America's pastime.

00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:22.880
Yeah, and the baseball establishment certainly didn't want to believe it either.

00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:23.920
No, of course not.

00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:35.840
So White Sox owner Charles Comiskey, despite privately having suspicions, publicly denied any wrongdoing and even offered a reward for potential information.

00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:36.320
Sure.

00:43:36.639 --> 00:43:41.920
Comiskey announced a$10,000 reward for anyone who could provide provide proof of a fix.

00:43:42.159 --> 00:43:46.000
Well, we knew he had it because he didn't give it to that one guy for 30 games.

00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:51.280
So it was likely meant to reassure fans that he did want the truth.

00:43:51.440 --> 00:43:53.679
Um, no one took him up on that reward.

00:43:53.840 --> 00:43:54.320
Right.

00:43:54.559 --> 00:43:57.760
Um, because the gamblers were the ones with the proof.

00:43:58.000 --> 00:43:58.239
Right.

00:43:58.400 --> 00:43:58.639
Yeah.

00:43:58.880 --> 00:43:59.280
Of course.

00:43:59.440 --> 00:44:00.079
Yeah.

00:44:00.400 --> 00:44:05.119
So behind the scenes, Kamiski took more cut covert action.

00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:05.679
Okay.

00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:11.280
He hired private detectives to snoop on his own players during the winter and the 1920 season.

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:12.000
Oh, wow.

00:44:12.960 --> 00:44:17.440
So they these detectives did not find definitive evidence.

00:44:17.519 --> 00:44:22.639
Um, the fix had been pretty poorly kept as a secret, but actual proof was minimal.

00:44:22.880 --> 00:44:23.360
Sure.

00:44:23.679 --> 00:44:28.719
So with nothing concrete, Kamiski chose to keep his team intact in 1920.

00:44:28.880 --> 00:44:29.199
Okay.

00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:35.840
Surprisingly, he renewed the contracts of all the suspected players and even gave most of them raises.

00:44:36.320 --> 00:44:37.039
That's interesting.

00:44:37.280 --> 00:44:37.599
Yes.

00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:38.880
I wonder why.

00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:40.000
I don't know.

00:44:40.400 --> 00:44:41.920
Didn't say much about that.

00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:45.199
He hoped to like quietly move on, I think.

00:44:45.599 --> 00:44:49.039
Oh, just kind of let's uh forget about that and move along.

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:49.440
Yeah.

00:44:49.599 --> 00:44:49.760
Okay.

00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:50.159
Yeah.

00:44:50.480 --> 00:44:51.039
Interesting.

00:44:51.519 --> 00:44:54.639
Um Wow, you didn't even ask how much the raises were.

00:44:54.719 --> 00:44:55.920
And I had that information too.

00:44:56.079 --> 00:44:56.559
Don't ask.

00:44:56.719 --> 00:44:57.519
How much were their raises?

00:44:57.840 --> 00:44:58.320
Oh, don't ask.

00:44:58.480 --> 00:44:59.280
How much are the raises?

00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:00.239
Let me go look.

00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:01.760
You didn't have it.

00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:03.280
I did have it.

00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:07.440
It's just not in my document because it wasn't that important.

00:45:07.760 --> 00:45:10.960
Now it's the most important part of this episode.

00:45:11.280 --> 00:45:16.320
Some of them got like what was their overall salary, anyways.

00:45:16.480 --> 00:45:18.159
Do you ever did you come across that?

00:45:18.320 --> 00:45:19.440
So let's see here.

00:45:19.599 --> 00:45:24.800
Um, like Eddie Sicott in 1919, his salary was$5,000.

00:45:25.280 --> 00:45:26.159
Jesus Christ.

00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:31.519
In 1920, he got a thousand ten thousand dollar range raise.

00:45:31.920 --> 00:45:32.239
Okay.

00:45:33.360 --> 00:45:40.079
And then Happy Flesher, his starting salary was three thousand seven hundred and fifty.

00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:43.679
His 1920 salary was seven seven thousand.

00:45:43.920 --> 00:45:44.800
Oh, wow.

00:45:45.119 --> 00:45:47.840
Gandal started at three three thousand five hundred.

00:45:48.400 --> 00:45:51.760
He actually ended um not signing an additional contract.

00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:53.119
Oh, how come?

00:45:54.079 --> 00:45:55.599
Um, I might have it written later.

00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:56.079
I don't remember.

00:45:56.239 --> 00:45:56.800
Okay, no worries.

00:45:57.039 --> 00:46:02.719
Shoeeless Joe Jackson, his salary was six thousand and then 1920 was 8,000.

00:46:03.679 --> 00:46:12.239
Um Fred McMullen, um, his starting salary was 26, and his 1920 salary was 36.

00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:14.320
Wow, that's really high.

00:46:14.639 --> 00:46:15.920
3,600.

00:46:16.159 --> 00:46:16.480
Okay.

00:46:17.360 --> 00:46:24.159
Um, Swede Risberg started with uh 3,200 and his 1920 salary was 3200.

00:46:24.239 --> 00:46:26.079
He actually did not get an additional raise.

00:46:26.320 --> 00:46:26.800
Gotcha.

00:46:27.119 --> 00:46:34.559
Buck Weaver started at um 7200 and his 1920 salary was also 7200, did not get a raise.

00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:35.039
Okay.

00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:38.400
Um, both of those were multi-year contracts.

00:46:40.159 --> 00:46:41.039
So yeah, okay.

00:46:41.199 --> 00:46:41.519
Yeah, yeah.

00:46:41.679 --> 00:46:48.639
Um Lefty Williams, his starting pay was um$2,600 and 1920 it was six thousand.

00:46:49.199 --> 00:46:49.360
Okay.

00:46:50.239 --> 00:46:55.599
Isn't that crazy that a baseball player in 1919, 1920 got paid six thousand dollars?

00:46:55.760 --> 00:46:56.400
I know.

00:46:56.800 --> 00:47:04.880
But there's there's players now that they get paid like six thousand dollars for like every second they're up on the field or during a game or whatever.

00:47:04.960 --> 00:47:05.920
It's like what the fuck?

00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:07.280
Yeah, it's so crazy.

00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:19.519
So it it appears that Kamisky wanted to move on, better have potentially corrupt stars playing than to ignite a scandal that could tank the franchise as a whole.

00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:20.159
Sure.

00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:21.519
One exception though.

00:47:21.679 --> 00:47:22.960
Oh Chick Gandalf.

00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:31.760
Yeah, Gandal was offered the same salary as before, no race, which was kind of a Comiskey's way of saying, I don't trust you.

00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:32.639
Right.

00:47:33.119 --> 00:47:36.639
I think you were the one who was starting all of this, so I don't trust you.

00:47:36.960 --> 00:47:39.519
And that's the one he was the one that started it, correct?

00:47:39.679 --> 00:47:40.000
He was.

00:47:40.159 --> 00:47:43.599
Yeah, he was the the mastermind behind it starting it.

00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:49.920
So Gandal um refused to sign and instead did opt instead opted to sit out the 1920 season.

00:47:50.079 --> 00:47:50.639
Oh wow.

00:47:51.679 --> 00:47:58.079
Um, so this left seven of the White Sox still on the club in 1920, playing as if nothing happened.

00:47:58.320 --> 00:47:58.639
Okay.

00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:06.320
And while it looked like it was being swept under the rug, um, and the 1920 season was playing very they were playing very well.

00:48:06.480 --> 00:48:11.280
Okay, fans mostly forgot about what was going on, and baseball continued.

00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:13.119
But there were still whispers in the background.

00:48:13.360 --> 00:48:13.760
Of course.

00:48:14.000 --> 00:48:20.159
Throughout 1920s, rumors dodged the white the dogged the White House whenever something strange happened in a game.

00:48:20.480 --> 00:48:21.679
Can you resay that all?

00:48:23.039 --> 00:48:29.760
Throughout the 1920s, rumors like followed the White Sox whenever something strange happened in a game.

00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:30.400
Okay.

00:48:30.800 --> 00:48:34.960
Um, so other teams started facing gambling rumors as well.

00:48:35.199 --> 00:48:35.920
Oh shit, really?

00:48:36.079 --> 00:48:39.440
Yeah, like if a team was playing badly for some reason, they're like, oh, something's happening.

00:48:39.760 --> 00:48:40.400
They're throwing the game.

00:48:40.480 --> 00:48:40.719
Yeah.

00:48:40.800 --> 00:48:40.960
Wow.

00:48:41.199 --> 00:48:42.480
When it could have just been a bad day.

00:48:42.639 --> 00:48:43.440
Yeah, right, of course.

00:48:43.599 --> 00:48:44.800
And every team has them.

00:48:44.880 --> 00:48:46.559
Look at our series against the Dodgers.

00:48:46.639 --> 00:48:47.840
We had a fucking terrible week.

00:48:48.159 --> 00:48:48.639
Yeah, we did.

00:48:48.880 --> 00:48:49.599
Let alone a day.

00:48:49.840 --> 00:48:52.800
So it's not like the Brewers threw it so the Dodgers could get in there.

00:48:52.960 --> 00:48:53.119
Right.

00:48:53.360 --> 00:48:54.400
Fuck the Dodgers.

00:48:54.719 --> 00:48:59.519
So the breaking point came in September 1920, nearly a year after the series.

00:48:59.679 --> 00:49:00.159
Yep, yep.

00:49:00.320 --> 00:49:04.800
Initially, the catalyst was another suspected fix involving different teams.

00:49:05.199 --> 00:49:11.760
The Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies were rumored to have thrown a regular season game that year.

00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:13.440
That has never been proven.

00:49:13.679 --> 00:49:13.920
Okay.

00:49:14.079 --> 00:49:14.320
Okay.

00:49:14.559 --> 00:49:15.920
I can see the Cubs doing that.

00:49:17.360 --> 00:49:27.280
But this prompted authorities in Cook County, Illinois, which is where Chicago is, to convene a grand jury to investigate baseball gambling in general.

00:49:27.519 --> 00:49:28.400
Oh wow.

00:49:28.639 --> 00:49:35.760
Once they started digging, the grand jury's attention quickly shifted to the bigger fish, the 1919 World Series.

00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:37.039
Oh boy.

00:49:37.360 --> 00:49:43.199
At the same time, the White Sox were locked in a tight pennant race in late September 1920.

00:49:43.440 --> 00:49:44.000
Right.

00:49:44.559 --> 00:49:50.400
So Charles Kamisky, seeing that things were starting to hamp in, finally did something decisive.

00:49:50.480 --> 00:49:59.599
And on September 28th, 1920, as the team fought for first place, Kamisky suspended the seven active players who were under suspicion.

00:49:59.920 --> 00:50:00.880
Oh shit.

00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:02.159
It was a huge deal.

00:50:02.320 --> 00:50:05.920
He effectively sacrificed the team's slots at the pennant.

00:50:06.079 --> 00:50:06.400
Yeah.

00:50:07.039 --> 00:50:09.920
And Kamisky later had said he had no choice.

00:50:10.320 --> 00:50:10.719
Sure.

00:50:11.039 --> 00:50:16.480
By then the scandal was about to explode publicly, and keep the players in the lineup was unjustified.

00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:17.119
Okay.

00:50:17.920 --> 00:50:22.480
So sure enough, plus some of the players started to crack under pressure.

00:50:22.800 --> 00:50:23.760
Well, yeah, of course.

00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:26.239
I mean I'm gonna take another delicious.

00:50:27.519 --> 00:50:31.360
I mean, it's starting because obviously it's getting back to what they did.

00:50:31.599 --> 00:50:32.480
It's getting out there.

00:50:32.559 --> 00:50:33.760
They're like, oh fuck.

00:50:33.840 --> 00:50:34.079
Yeah.

00:50:34.559 --> 00:50:36.480
We're supposed to just get some extra money.

00:50:36.719 --> 00:50:37.199
Yeah.

00:50:37.920 --> 00:50:40.400
I mean stupid.

00:50:40.639 --> 00:50:41.760
Just fucking stupid.

00:50:41.920 --> 00:50:42.079
Yeah.

00:50:42.400 --> 00:50:43.360
All right, go on.

00:50:43.599 --> 00:50:46.559
So pitcher Eddie Sicott was the first to come clean.

00:50:46.960 --> 00:50:51.519
He shocked the grand jury by confessing in detail on September 28th, 1920.

00:50:51.679 --> 00:50:52.079
Oh, wow.

00:50:52.239 --> 00:50:56.559
The very next day, shoeless Joe Jackson also testified, admitting to taking money.

00:50:56.639 --> 00:50:57.039
Yeah.

00:50:57.280 --> 00:51:10.000
And according to press reports, that's when um a young newsboy or a fan supposedly confronted Jackson outside the courthouse, leading to the plea, quote, say it ain't so, Joe.

00:51:10.239 --> 00:51:12.880
Oh, that's I have, yeah.

00:51:13.280 --> 00:51:16.239
It it's not super clear if that's actually what happened.

00:51:16.400 --> 00:51:20.719
Right, but it's very probable or potentially potentially, yeah.

00:51:20.880 --> 00:51:21.599
Could have happened, yeah.

00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:25.679
So in any case, by October 1920, the grand jury had heard enough.

00:51:25.920 --> 00:51:26.480
Oh, sure.

00:51:26.719 --> 00:51:35.519
It indicted eight White Sox players, as well as several gamblers on charges of conspiracy to defraud the public and throwing baseball games.

00:51:35.760 --> 00:51:36.480
That's crazy.

00:51:36.719 --> 00:51:40.079
Notably, yeah, Arnold Rothstein was not indicted.

00:51:40.320 --> 00:51:40.719
Weird.

00:51:40.880 --> 00:51:43.679
He managed to dist himself, which he originally had planned.

00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:45.840
Yeah, he he was not a stupid man.

00:51:46.079 --> 00:51:50.800
So he um there wasn't enough solid evidence evidence to nail him.

00:51:50.960 --> 00:51:58.800
He even testified to the grand jury denying involvement, and they somehow believed him or were intimidated by him or whatever.

00:51:59.039 --> 00:51:59.920
Well, we don't know.

00:52:00.239 --> 00:52:00.960
He was a gangster.

00:52:01.119 --> 00:52:01.360
Yeah.

00:52:01.519 --> 00:52:05.519
So the case headed to trial in Chicago in the summer of 1921.

00:52:05.679 --> 00:52:05.920
Okay.

00:52:06.079 --> 00:52:13.039
The proceedings began in June and immediately had hiccups as two indiet gamblers didn't show up on time claiming they had illness.

00:52:13.280 --> 00:52:13.920
Oh, Jesus.

00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:16.960
So the trial finally got underway in July.

00:52:17.199 --> 00:52:17.519
Okay.

00:52:17.920 --> 00:52:19.679
And it was a madhouse.

00:52:19.920 --> 00:52:20.800
I'm sure it was.

00:52:20.960 --> 00:52:25.840
The courthouse was packed daily with reporters, onlookers, fans.

00:52:26.079 --> 00:52:35.760
Um, the New York Times described how scores of young boys squeezed to watch, reacting in awe when prosecutors detailed the sellout of the national game.

00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:36.800
Oh boy.

00:52:36.960 --> 00:52:37.360
Yeah.

00:52:37.599 --> 00:52:43.280
Inside the courtroom, the defendants, the ball players were strangely happy.

00:52:44.159 --> 00:52:44.800
Why?

00:52:45.280 --> 00:52:47.519
They were they were quite jovial.

00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:50.719
Look at those whippers snappers.

00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:54.400
They're all happy and having a good old time.

00:52:54.719 --> 00:52:59.840
They exchanged friendly banter with members of the current White Sox team who came to watch.

00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:06.320
Um, current socks even walked over and tickled Buck Weaver in his seat.

00:53:06.559 --> 00:53:10.000
Apparently, Buck Weaver was known to be very, very ticklish.

00:53:10.159 --> 00:53:10.320
Okay.

00:53:10.559 --> 00:53:13.039
And they would like randomly just go up and tickle him.

00:53:13.840 --> 00:53:16.000
That seems causing fits of giggles.

00:53:17.280 --> 00:53:18.320
Fits of giggles.

00:53:19.039 --> 00:53:20.320
You can't make this shit up.

00:53:20.559 --> 00:53:23.920
I mean, you can, but it's not.

00:53:24.320 --> 00:53:29.440
Crucially, yeah, some evidence had mysteriously vanished before the trial.

00:53:29.760 --> 00:53:31.199
Weird how that happened sometimes.

00:53:31.440 --> 00:53:35.519
They were the confessions of Sakat and Jackson gave to the grand jury.

00:53:35.840 --> 00:53:37.920
They disappeared from the court files.

00:53:38.800 --> 00:53:39.119
Okay.

00:53:39.599 --> 00:53:43.360
Rumor had it that someone in the no removed them to weaken the case.

00:53:43.760 --> 00:53:44.239
Sure.

00:53:44.559 --> 00:53:47.760
Years later, lo and behold, they were found?

00:53:48.079 --> 00:53:52.960
The missing confessions turned up in the files of Kamiski's own lawyer.

00:53:53.599 --> 00:53:53.920
Oh.

00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:59.679
So he was trying to do some shady, shady shit.

00:53:59.840 --> 00:54:00.079
Yeah.

00:54:00.639 --> 00:54:01.039
Wow.

00:54:01.280 --> 00:54:01.599
Yeah.

00:54:02.079 --> 00:54:02.320
Yeah.

00:54:02.639 --> 00:54:04.880
How did his lawyer get in there and get those?

00:54:06.320 --> 00:54:08.159
I mean, he had access to the files.

00:54:08.400 --> 00:54:08.719
I guess.

00:54:08.880 --> 00:54:08.960
Yeah.

00:54:10.480 --> 00:54:10.639
Yeah.

00:54:10.960 --> 00:54:15.199
I'm not a court person, so I don't know how that all works, especially not 1921.

00:54:15.519 --> 00:54:23.039
But regardless of how it happened, what happened, the loss of those signed confessions left the prosecution in kind of a ditch.

00:54:23.199 --> 00:54:23.519
Yeah.

00:54:23.679 --> 00:54:29.840
Um, as the trial progressed, one of the gambler defendants, sleepy Bill Burns, turned state's evidence.

00:54:30.079 --> 00:54:30.239
Oh.

00:54:30.559 --> 00:54:32.880
Flipping to testify for the prosecution.

00:54:33.119 --> 00:54:33.840
Oh, there you go.

00:54:34.079 --> 00:54:39.119
Burns spilled the beans on the whole plot, implicating the players and detailing meetings with gamblers.

00:54:39.360 --> 00:54:39.679
Sure.

00:54:39.840 --> 00:54:42.960
He even tied in Rothstein's name during the testimony.

00:54:43.119 --> 00:54:43.440
Okay.

00:54:43.679 --> 00:54:54.239
And one anecdote from the trial, Burns claimed that before one game, Eddie Sicott was so determined to lose that he threatened, quote, to throw the ball clear out of the park if necessary.

00:54:55.599 --> 00:55:02.079
Despite Burns' testimony and other evidence, the the defense attorneys for the players worked hard to cast doubt.

00:55:02.320 --> 00:55:02.559
Sure.

00:55:02.719 --> 00:55:10.719
They painted the accusers and as unreliable crooks and leaned on the lack of physical evidence thanks to those missing confessions.

00:55:10.960 --> 00:55:11.519
Sure.

00:55:11.760 --> 00:55:15.280
After weeks of testimony, the case went to the jury.

00:55:15.440 --> 00:55:19.199
And on August 2nd, 1921, the verdict came in.

00:55:19.360 --> 00:55:19.599
Okay.

00:55:19.840 --> 00:55:25.119
All eight players and the gamblers on trial with them were acquitted.

00:55:25.440 --> 00:55:25.840
Really?

00:55:26.079 --> 00:55:27.760
Acquitted of criminal charges.

00:55:28.320 --> 00:55:29.760
Not guilty across the board.

00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:31.599
I never knew that about this.

00:55:31.920 --> 00:55:35.199
I mean, because it's such a dark spot in baseball history.

00:55:35.599 --> 00:55:40.000
You just assume, I always assumed that they were found guilty.

00:55:40.719 --> 00:55:41.039
Really?

00:55:41.360 --> 00:55:41.679
Yep.

00:55:41.920 --> 00:55:45.280
Of course, the courtroom erupted in celebration.

00:55:45.760 --> 00:55:48.800
People were three throwing parties with the jurors.

00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:55.039
But but the problem is how could you let them play baseball again?

00:55:55.280 --> 00:55:56.079
Oh, just wait.

00:55:56.239 --> 00:55:56.719
I know.

00:55:57.360 --> 00:56:01.119
One jury supposedly told a player, happy to have you back next season.

00:56:01.440 --> 00:56:02.320
Oh, Jesus.

00:56:02.559 --> 00:56:08.400
It was as if the Black Sox had won a second pennant, basically a vindication, if you will.

00:56:08.639 --> 00:56:09.119
Right.

00:56:09.360 --> 00:56:16.559
Um, Chicago's new newspapers even read headlines essentially cheering the outcome, saying, Our boys are innocent.

00:56:17.280 --> 00:56:18.159
But they're not.

00:56:18.400 --> 00:56:21.280
Of course, many thought that this is this is bullshit.

00:56:21.519 --> 00:56:22.559
Well, because it was bullshit.

00:56:22.719 --> 00:56:22.880
Yeah.

00:56:23.119 --> 00:56:25.119
The fact that they even got off is just amazing.

00:56:25.199 --> 00:56:25.519
Yeah.

00:56:25.760 --> 00:56:30.400
It just tells you what like what you could get through in through the court systems and shit.

00:56:30.480 --> 00:56:30.719
Yeah.

00:56:31.039 --> 00:56:33.199
With a little bit of doubt or whatever.

00:56:33.280 --> 00:56:34.960
It's like clearly they fucking did it.

00:56:35.039 --> 00:56:37.599
You even had a guy tell the whole fucking story.

00:56:37.760 --> 00:56:38.079
Yeah.

00:56:38.320 --> 00:56:38.800
But okay.

00:56:39.119 --> 00:56:45.199
So it's widely suspected that the fixers got off due to a mix of missing evidence, a sympathetic or even a bribe jury.

00:56:45.360 --> 00:56:46.000
We don't know.

00:56:46.239 --> 00:56:47.119
I mean, at this point.

00:56:47.440 --> 00:56:51.679
And then the difficulty of proving the conspiracy beyond a reasonable reasonable doubt.

00:56:51.920 --> 00:56:52.320
Right, right, right.

00:56:52.480 --> 00:56:53.840
So legally they were off the hook.

00:56:54.079 --> 00:56:54.559
Sure.

00:56:54.880 --> 00:57:01.360
So even before the trial concluded, the powers that be in baseball knew dramat dramatic action.

00:57:01.599 --> 00:57:03.039
Needed drastic action.

00:57:03.280 --> 00:57:03.760
There it is.

00:57:03.840 --> 00:57:04.960
I like dramatic action.

00:57:05.199 --> 00:57:07.760
Um was needed to salvage the sport's reputation.

00:57:08.000 --> 00:57:08.639
Right.

00:57:09.039 --> 00:57:14.960
So the scandal had dominated headlines for months, exposing how deep gambling claws were in the game.

00:57:15.199 --> 00:57:17.679
Attendance had uh of fans had slumped.

00:57:17.920 --> 00:57:18.320
Really?

00:57:18.480 --> 00:57:23.440
Um attendance uh the fans were wondering if the whole ser like the whole game was rigged.

00:57:23.760 --> 00:57:25.280
It was like basically wrestling.

00:57:25.440 --> 00:57:25.920
Yeah.

00:57:26.239 --> 00:57:27.119
Yeah, exactly.

00:57:27.360 --> 00:57:27.679
Right.

00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:34.079
So sensing the gravity of the situation, the team owners had already made a big move in late 1920.

00:57:34.239 --> 00:57:34.559
Okay.

00:57:34.880 --> 00:57:45.360
They did away with the old three-man national commission that nominally governed the game and installed a single all-powerful commissioner of baseball.

00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:47.440
That's when it started, really.

00:57:47.920 --> 00:57:49.119
I did not know that.

00:57:49.440 --> 00:57:54.960
So the three-man national commission was night from 1903 to 1920.

00:57:55.039 --> 00:57:55.280
Okay.

00:57:55.519 --> 00:57:58.960
It was baseball's first attempt at centralized leadership.

00:57:59.280 --> 00:57:59.440
Sure.

00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:00.400
No, that makes sense.

00:58:01.039 --> 00:58:06.079
It was created in 1903 to oversee disputes between the American and the National Leagues.

00:58:06.239 --> 00:58:06.639
Right.

00:58:06.880 --> 00:58:10.480
It was made up of American League President Ben Johnson.

00:58:10.719 --> 00:58:10.800
Okay.

00:58:11.440 --> 00:58:14.239
National League President John Hid Hedler.

00:58:14.480 --> 00:58:17.440
Hadler, um, and potentially others.

00:58:17.679 --> 00:58:18.159
Sure.

00:58:18.400 --> 00:58:25.039
And a third neutral uh member, usually the Cincinnati Reds owner, Gary Herman.

00:58:25.920 --> 00:58:29.119
I feel like that's these might be a little biased.

00:58:29.280 --> 00:58:29.920
Yeah.

00:58:30.320 --> 00:58:33.360
So it flopped because it was a little bit too political.

00:58:33.599 --> 00:58:37.760
Ben Johnson and Herman, the Cincinnati Reds owner, were really close.

00:58:38.239 --> 00:58:41.280
See, yeah, that's unbiased my ass.

00:58:41.440 --> 00:58:41.679
Yeah.

00:58:41.840 --> 00:58:45.280
So they that it was often skewed to pro-American League.

00:58:45.440 --> 00:58:45.679
Sure.

00:58:45.840 --> 00:58:54.960
Um, it had weak enforcement, it had no strong authority over gambling or player conduct, and the 1919 Black Sox scandal exposed its failure.

00:58:55.119 --> 00:58:55.440
Right.

00:58:55.760 --> 00:59:05.199
So um for this role, they tapped a um a fiery federal judge known for his no-nonsense rulings.

00:59:05.360 --> 00:59:07.760
Oh, and Flair for the dramatic.

00:59:08.000 --> 00:59:09.199
Nice, gotta have that.

00:59:09.440 --> 00:59:12.000
Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis.

00:59:12.480 --> 00:59:13.119
Mountain?

00:59:13.280 --> 00:59:16.559
Yeah, Kennesaw Mountain Landis.

00:59:16.800 --> 00:59:17.519
That's a weird name.

00:59:17.679 --> 00:59:20.239
Apparently, he was named after a Civil War battle.

00:59:21.119 --> 00:59:21.679
Really?

00:59:22.320 --> 00:59:23.360
That's funny.

00:59:23.679 --> 00:59:25.840
So it's it's wild to me.

00:59:25.920 --> 00:59:31.840
I didn't I did not realize I didn't have an actual just commissioner of baseball until until then.

00:59:32.320 --> 00:59:32.880
1920.

00:59:33.199 --> 00:59:35.679
Yeah, so wow, it's only been around a hundred years.

00:59:35.840 --> 00:59:38.880
Because our old owner, Bud Sealy, was the commissioner.

00:59:39.599 --> 00:59:45.280
And then he brought the Brewers to from he bought the Seattle Pilots and brought them to Milwaukee.

00:59:46.239 --> 00:59:49.039
Yeah, they're only around for a year and then they became the Brewers.

00:59:49.199 --> 00:59:59.840
So So Landis was given unprecedented power, essentially absolute control over the league to do with whatever's necessary to restore the public's trust.

01:00:00.079 --> 01:00:00.719
In the sport.

01:00:00.800 --> 01:00:01.039
Yeah.

01:00:01.679 --> 01:00:06.159
So baseball's owners begged him to be the crusader to save baseball.

01:00:06.480 --> 01:00:06.880
Sure.

01:00:07.519 --> 01:00:46.800
So the day after the acquittal, even as the cleared players were literally popping champagne, command com commissioner Landis said, quote, regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ball game, no player who undertakes or promises to throw a ball game, no player who sits in conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it will ever play professional baseball again.

01:00:53.840 --> 01:00:55.519
Well, I mean, good for him.

01:00:55.760 --> 01:00:56.320
Oh yeah.

01:00:56.559 --> 01:00:59.519
Because otherwise this shit can just keep happening.

01:01:00.559 --> 01:01:02.800
August 3rd, 1921.

01:01:03.119 --> 01:01:08.480
Landis permanently banned all eight accused White Sox player from organized baseball.

01:01:08.800 --> 01:01:13.440
That's too just look at the talent that just got fucked.

01:01:13.760 --> 01:01:14.639
Because of themselves.

01:01:14.800 --> 01:01:15.679
It was their own fault.

01:01:15.840 --> 01:01:16.000
Yeah.

01:01:16.159 --> 01:01:17.039
Don't get me wrong.

01:01:17.199 --> 01:01:17.840
But damn.

01:01:18.159 --> 01:01:20.400
So it didn't matter if the court had found them not guilty.

01:01:20.480 --> 01:01:29.840
In Landis's view, their involvement, even when Buck Weaver just attended the meetings but didn't take any money, it was enough to blacklist them.

01:01:30.079 --> 01:01:33.039
Yeah, he was he was in on it without being in on it.

01:01:33.119 --> 01:01:33.280
Yeah.

01:01:33.360 --> 01:01:38.159
So he was essentially saying baseball would rather lose a few stars and ever risk this kind of scandal again.

01:01:38.400 --> 01:01:38.800
For sure.

01:01:38.960 --> 01:01:42.880
And I mean, look at we're still look at what we have today because of that.

01:01:43.039 --> 01:01:45.280
Other could have collapsed because of this.

01:01:45.360 --> 01:01:45.519
Yeah.

01:01:45.760 --> 01:01:46.239
But wow.

01:01:46.639 --> 01:01:51.760
So the reaction to Landis's justice was largely positive among the press and fans.

01:01:51.920 --> 01:01:52.239
Okay.

01:01:52.480 --> 01:01:56.239
Um, at last, someone was taking a firm stand to clean up the sport.

01:01:56.400 --> 01:01:56.639
Right.

01:01:56.880 --> 01:02:02.800
The eight men became baseball's ultimate cautionary examples of being banned for life.

01:02:02.960 --> 01:02:03.280
Yep.

01:02:03.519 --> 01:02:05.840
None of them ever played in the majors.

01:02:06.320 --> 01:02:08.559
They never played in the minors.

01:02:08.960 --> 01:02:10.320
They never managed.

01:02:10.639 --> 01:02:10.800
Yeah.

01:02:11.760 --> 01:02:12.320
Wow.

01:02:12.559 --> 01:02:17.039
The owner, the other owners and baseball executives backed him fully.

01:02:17.280 --> 01:02:17.519
Sure.

01:02:17.599 --> 01:02:18.320
Why wouldn't you?

01:02:18.480 --> 01:02:18.639
Yeah.

01:02:18.800 --> 01:02:24.159
The public was sad to see some of these great players go, but largely understood it was a necessary sacrifice.

01:02:24.400 --> 01:02:25.519
Of course, yes.

01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:29.199
Um, Landis would reign as commissioner for 24 years.

01:02:29.440 --> 01:02:30.000
Oh, wow.

01:02:30.159 --> 01:02:32.960
His first act was the Black Sox ban.

01:02:33.119 --> 01:02:33.280
Okay.

01:02:33.440 --> 01:02:36.880
And it set the tone for the integrity of the game from there on.

01:02:37.199 --> 01:02:37.679
Sure.

01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:41.760
Um, the White Sox team was now decimated.

01:02:42.000 --> 01:02:42.480
Well, yeah.

01:02:42.639 --> 01:02:44.320
Look at all the people they just lost.

01:02:44.559 --> 01:02:46.400
They fell from pennant contenders.

01:02:46.559 --> 01:02:46.880
Sure.

01:02:47.039 --> 01:02:49.519
Um, Chicago fans were heartbroken and angry.

01:02:49.599 --> 01:02:53.599
Some directed fury at the players, others at Comiskey for letting it happen.

01:02:53.760 --> 01:02:54.159
Right.

01:02:54.480 --> 01:03:02.239
The franchise wouldn't win another American League Championship until 1959, and not another World Series until 2005.

01:03:02.719 --> 01:03:03.599
I knew that.

01:03:03.840 --> 01:03:04.480
Yes.

01:03:06.239 --> 01:03:09.519
Baseball as a whole moved on relatively quickly.

01:03:09.760 --> 01:03:10.239
Sure.

01:03:10.480 --> 01:03:14.800
Um, 1921, 1922, fans started coming back.

01:03:15.039 --> 01:03:18.559
Um, there were new heroes, um, Babe Ruth.

01:03:19.039 --> 01:03:26.079
Um by mid-decade of the 1920s, there was like this golden age of baseball.

01:03:26.239 --> 01:03:26.480
Yeah.

01:03:26.639 --> 01:03:34.960
Um, owners were relieved that Landis's um decisive action um restored the public faith, essentially.

01:03:35.440 --> 01:03:35.920
Yeah, of course.

01:03:36.159 --> 01:03:37.440
Got the fans back in the seats.

01:03:37.599 --> 01:03:37.920
Yeah.

01:03:38.079 --> 01:03:38.400
Yeah.

01:03:38.719 --> 01:03:49.920
Um, one paper wrote after the scandal broke that the 1919 fix was the most brazen conspiracy in the annals of sports, comparing the players are the players to traitorous soldiers who sell out their country.

01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:56.719
I mean maybe a little bit different, but along those lines within the that sport, you know, I get that.

01:03:56.960 --> 01:04:01.360
So with Landis at the helm, they vowed such betrayal would never happen again.

01:04:01.440 --> 01:04:05.840
And in fact, no World Series has has been accused of being fixed since.

01:04:06.159 --> 01:04:06.559
Good.

01:04:06.800 --> 01:04:09.519
There were other scandals for sure.

01:04:09.840 --> 01:04:10.800
Like Pete Rose.

01:04:11.119 --> 01:04:13.360
Um, he was he betted on games.

01:04:13.519 --> 01:04:16.000
Um, there were steroid situations.

01:04:16.239 --> 01:04:16.639
Yep.

01:04:16.960 --> 01:04:19.519
But throwing a championship hasn't been on the menu.

01:04:19.760 --> 01:04:20.000
Good.

01:04:20.239 --> 01:04:24.960
Shoeless Joe Jackson became the central figure in how the public remembered the Black Sox.

01:04:25.280 --> 01:04:26.320
That's the one I always do.

01:04:26.480 --> 01:04:29.280
I didn't know any of these other guys' name, to be honest.

01:04:29.599 --> 01:04:30.000
Yeah.

01:04:30.320 --> 01:04:33.679
So when the scandal first went public, the fans were crushed.

01:04:33.760 --> 01:04:36.320
No player was more beloved than he was at the time.

01:04:36.559 --> 01:04:37.119
Right.

01:04:37.360 --> 01:04:46.800
And the idea that Joe, the central simple country boy, illiterate country boy with this amazing batting talent, had taken dirty money, kind of shook people.

01:04:47.039 --> 01:04:47.440
Yep.

01:04:47.599 --> 01:04:53.599
Um, shoeless, shoeless Joe's role in the scandal had always kind of been the gray area.

01:04:53.840 --> 01:04:57.119
He did take$5,000 of the gambler's money.

01:04:57.440 --> 01:05:01.039
On the other hand, in the actual games, he did play phenomenally.

01:05:01.280 --> 01:05:01.840
Right.

01:05:02.000 --> 01:05:03.920
Um, he never made an error.

01:05:04.079 --> 01:05:07.920
He had the highest hits or the highest statistics, I guess, so to speak.

01:05:08.079 --> 01:05:08.639
Right, right.

01:05:08.800 --> 01:05:11.440
And he maintained that he never wanted to go along with the fix.

01:05:11.599 --> 01:05:15.760
He even claimed that he tried to alert Kamisky before the scandal broke.

01:05:16.000 --> 01:05:16.480
Oh, really?

01:05:16.800 --> 01:05:24.000
After the series, Jackson says he went to Kamisky asking what to do with the$5,000 and to talk about a possible fix.

01:05:24.239 --> 01:05:24.800
Oh shit.

01:05:24.960 --> 01:05:25.519
Excuse me.

01:05:25.760 --> 01:05:28.320
And Comiskey refused to meet with him.

01:05:28.559 --> 01:05:28.880
Oh.

01:05:29.119 --> 01:05:35.280
Joe then wrote Kamisky a letter confessing his suspicions and offering to return the money and got no reply.

01:05:35.519 --> 01:05:35.840
Okay.

01:05:36.159 --> 01:05:43.599
So whether Comiskey ignored it deliberately or got lost, we don't know, but Comiskey certainly didn't act on Jackson's attempt to come clean.

01:05:43.840 --> 01:05:44.719
That's weird.

01:05:45.039 --> 01:05:54.159
Um, years later, Hall of Famer Ted Williams um rallied um against the injustice, saying Comiskey, quote, covered it up as much as Jackson did, maybe more.

01:05:54.320 --> 01:05:54.559
Right.

01:05:54.719 --> 01:06:00.000
And there's Charles Kamisky in the Hall of Fame, and Shoeless Joe still waits outside, end quote.

01:06:00.239 --> 01:06:01.760
Yeah, that's sad.

01:06:02.239 --> 01:06:12.159
So after being banned, Jackson went back to rural Georgia, lived out his days quietly, playing semi-pro ball under aliases, and he ended up running a liquor store.

01:06:12.400 --> 01:06:12.719
Okay.

01:06:12.960 --> 01:06:23.519
Over the decades, um, Shoeless Joe turned into a fork folk hero immortalized in um the field of dreams and a novel called Shoeless Joe.

01:06:23.760 --> 01:06:24.159
Right.

01:06:24.320 --> 01:06:27.920
Um, to this day, Jackson's name is barred from the Hall of Fame.

01:06:28.159 --> 01:06:28.960
Yeah, that's too bad.

01:06:29.039 --> 01:06:29.280
Yeah.

01:06:29.519 --> 01:06:30.559
So is like Pete Rose.

01:06:30.639 --> 01:06:30.719
P.

01:06:30.880 --> 01:06:35.599
Rose just died, so now there's actually talk about maybe letting him in because he's dead.

01:06:35.920 --> 01:06:38.639
But like they were he had like a lifetime ban.

01:06:38.800 --> 01:06:39.199
Yeah.

01:06:39.440 --> 01:06:42.320
Because of what he did and so don't put him in Hall of Fame.

01:06:42.480 --> 01:06:45.199
I mean, but the problem You're just glorifying it then.

01:06:45.440 --> 01:06:46.400
But you're not.

01:06:46.960 --> 01:06:47.840
In my opinion.

01:06:48.079 --> 01:06:53.519
The reason why I say that is because he was one of the best hitters ever in baseball.

01:06:53.760 --> 01:06:55.360
It's called the Hall of Fame.

01:06:55.519 --> 01:06:58.239
It's all about the stats, what he did with the game.

01:06:58.480 --> 01:07:00.320
That part sucks, don't get me wrong.

01:07:00.559 --> 01:07:01.519
It wasn't right.

01:07:01.679 --> 01:07:04.639
But I feel like he was such a good baseball player.

01:07:04.880 --> 01:07:08.239
I'm on the side of, well, I could see him being let in there.

01:07:08.639 --> 01:07:09.519
I'm gonna disagree.

01:07:09.679 --> 01:07:10.320
That's fine.

01:07:10.639 --> 01:07:11.920
Because we all know you're wrong.

01:07:12.079 --> 01:07:14.000
Hey! Be nice.

01:07:14.239 --> 01:07:15.760
I wasn't being mean.

01:07:18.079 --> 01:07:21.440
Most of the other band men faded into obscurity.

01:07:21.679 --> 01:07:21.920
Sure.

01:07:22.079 --> 01:07:26.800
Buck Weaver continually protested his innocence, saying that he never took any money.

01:07:27.039 --> 01:07:28.000
So what, dude?

01:07:28.159 --> 01:07:33.280
He wrote letters every year to Landis and later commissioners begging for reinstatement to no avail.

01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:34.000
Right.

01:07:34.480 --> 01:07:39.199
Um, Gandal, Riseberg, Felsh um bounced around or dropped out of the spotlight.

01:07:39.360 --> 01:07:44.079
Some gave bitter interviews, blaming Kamiski or the gamblers, never themselves.

01:07:44.239 --> 01:07:44.559
Sure.

01:07:44.800 --> 01:07:50.400
Gandalf in 1956 published a tell all article giving his version of events.

01:07:50.880 --> 01:07:53.039
Like I started it, I did this.

01:07:53.840 --> 01:07:54.719
Fuck off.

01:07:56.559 --> 01:07:57.119
Wow.

01:07:57.360 --> 01:07:58.000
Yes.

01:07:58.320 --> 01:08:06.239
So baseball, it has been said that baseball was kind of reborn in the 1920s after the scandal.

01:08:06.480 --> 01:08:19.119
Um, it did leave a pretty bad mark on American sports, and it's the reason why every ballpark now has a prominent sign warning that any player, umpire, or employee caught gambling on games will be banned for life.

01:08:19.279 --> 01:08:19.920
That's awesome.

01:08:20.000 --> 01:08:20.239
Good.

01:08:20.319 --> 01:08:20.640
Yes.

01:08:20.800 --> 01:08:21.439
Because fuck that.

01:08:21.680 --> 01:08:31.039
Kenneshaw Mountain Landis precedent stands, and if even if you're acquitted in court or even if your on-field performance was still good, any involvement in throwing a game means you're out.

01:08:31.199 --> 01:08:31.439
Yeah.

01:08:31.680 --> 01:08:36.079
This policy has been enforced again with Pete Rose um in the 1980s.

01:08:36.239 --> 01:08:36.720
Yep.

01:08:37.359 --> 01:08:41.119
And the scandal also led to improvements in how baseball was governed.

01:08:41.279 --> 01:08:41.520
Okay.

01:08:41.680 --> 01:08:45.840
So the commissioner's office, born from this chaos, proved effective at centralizing authority.

01:08:46.000 --> 01:08:46.239
Yeah.

01:08:46.399 --> 01:08:53.680
Um, the owner owners realized that the perception of honesty was just as important as honesty itself, and they needed the fans to believe in the game again.

01:08:53.840 --> 01:08:54.239
Right.

01:08:54.479 --> 01:09:00.159
So they um empowered Lanis to make examples of the Black Sox and anyone else who stepped out of line.

01:09:00.239 --> 01:09:00.560
Yep.

01:09:00.720 --> 01:09:04.640
The phrase throwing a game entered the lexicon because of the Black Sox.

01:09:04.960 --> 01:09:05.279
Okay.

01:09:06.079 --> 01:09:11.199
And sport sport leagues across America institute their own anti-gambling rules.

01:09:11.439 --> 01:09:11.920
Sure.

01:09:12.560 --> 01:09:18.720
It took nearly a hundred years for the White Sox franchises to shake off that that record.

01:09:19.600 --> 01:09:28.640
Um, and even when the White Sox finally won the World Series again in 2005, articles recalled the ghosts of 1919 and the so-called curse that came from it.

01:09:28.880 --> 01:09:32.000
Oh, I think the curse is back in effect because they suck.

01:09:33.119 --> 01:09:37.199
None of the band players ever got reinstated in their lifetimes.

01:09:37.359 --> 01:09:37.760
Right.

01:09:38.000 --> 01:09:44.239
Generations passed, and the Hall of Flame explicitly banned consideration of the players on the ineligible list.

01:09:44.399 --> 01:09:44.720
Okay.

01:09:45.279 --> 01:09:55.119
Um, that policy remains, although um, interestingly, all players are long deceased, and there has been occasional discussions about whether to posthumously pardon any of them.

01:09:55.359 --> 01:09:55.760
Gotcha.

01:09:56.319 --> 01:09:59.840
Um, so far, no commissioner has ever budged.

01:10:00.159 --> 01:10:01.439
Why would you at this point?

01:10:01.600 --> 01:10:03.439
Because that was a shitty thing they did.

01:10:03.600 --> 01:10:08.079
I mean, it's supposed to be a sport, supposed to be fair, and then you're fucking that up.

01:10:08.880 --> 01:10:12.239
So that was the Black Sox scandal.

01:10:12.479 --> 01:10:13.680
Yeah, it sure was.

01:10:13.920 --> 01:10:18.079
I mean, obviously I I know about it because of being a baseball fan.

01:10:18.239 --> 01:10:19.520
I didn't know a lot of that though.

01:10:19.760 --> 01:10:20.640
Yeah, which is great.

01:10:20.880 --> 01:10:24.720
So that was kind of fun to learn because of course I knew Shulas Joe Jackson.

01:10:24.800 --> 01:10:31.760
I didn't know Happy Fels or you know, yeah Chick scandal, yeah, Buck Weaver, all those guys.

01:10:31.840 --> 01:10:32.960
I didn't I didn't know any of them.

01:10:33.199 --> 01:10:35.439
I just knew about Joe Jackson, but yeah.

01:10:35.920 --> 01:10:38.159
Um yeah, that's wild.

01:10:38.319 --> 01:10:39.680
What a fucked up thing to do.

01:10:40.479 --> 01:10:41.680
On to Mad Libs.

01:10:41.920 --> 01:10:42.560
Here we go.

01:10:43.359 --> 01:10:45.359
It's a summary, basically.

01:10:45.680 --> 01:10:56.720
In the year 1919, the funny Chicago White Sox, led by star slug slugger Herschel Walker, shat their way into the World Series.

01:10:57.039 --> 01:10:57.840
What the fuck?

01:10:58.079 --> 01:11:06.079
Behind the scenes, a cabal of lemons led by a guy known as Squigglyface were secretly bending with gamblers.

01:11:07.359 --> 01:11:17.760
The players were tired of their courageous paychecks and decided to throw the series for a mere$362.72.

01:11:18.960 --> 01:11:23.439
In exchange, they promised to commit drug dealing on the field.

01:11:24.000 --> 01:11:25.039
There you go.

01:11:25.520 --> 01:11:35.920
When fans found out, they cried, Wow, and spilled their Mackenzie's black cherry heart cider in disbelief.

01:11:36.159 --> 01:11:36.640
Sad.

01:11:37.119 --> 01:11:48.880
Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis brought the hammer down harder than a battle axe, declaring anyone batting worse than 12 pounds per inch is out for life.

01:11:49.439 --> 01:11:51.439
12 pounds per inch.

01:11:51.840 --> 01:11:56.960
The players now known as the slob face were banned forever.

01:11:57.600 --> 01:12:01.359
Landis's final words, you should stop doing that.

01:12:01.520 --> 01:12:02.800
People would like you better.

01:12:03.039 --> 01:12:05.279
That fits so perfectly.

01:12:20.159 --> 01:12:22.720
I just like the you should stop doing that, people.

01:12:23.039 --> 01:12:25.119
Like you better, my cheeks hurt.

01:12:26.000 --> 01:12:27.680
Oh well.

01:12:28.479 --> 01:12:29.279
I suppose.

01:12:29.520 --> 01:12:30.560
All right, buffoons.

01:12:30.640 --> 01:12:31.920
That's it for today's episode.

01:12:32.239 --> 01:12:36.319
Buckle up because we've got another historical adventure waiting for you next time.

01:12:36.560 --> 01:12:38.720
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01:12:38.880 --> 01:12:43.680
Or maybe you have a burning question or a wild historical theory for us to explore?

01:12:43.920 --> 01:12:45.279
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01:12:45.439 --> 01:12:50.079
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01:12:50.319 --> 01:12:54.640
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01:12:54.800 --> 01:12:57.760
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01:12:57.920 --> 01:13:02.640
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01:13:02.880 --> 01:13:06.159
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01:13:06.399 --> 01:13:09.039
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