the 1919 Black Sox World Series Scandal

On September 29, 1920, the people of Chicago waited with keen anticipation for the outcome of a key legal case being heard in the Cook County Courthouse. This case was not the trial of a high profile gangster, or even a specific individual, but rather an American institution- the game of baseball. On this particular day, players of the White Sox baseball team were giving testimony about their involvement in the intentional loss of the 1919 World Series. As one of the most popular White Sox players, Joe Jackson, exited the courthouse, a young boy standing on the sidewalk, clearly devastated by the possibility of one of his idols going astray, cried out the immortal words: "Say it ain't so, Joe!" (Brody). Sadly, however, it was true- the White Sox had in fact lost the World Series on purpose, eventually leading to the team being nicknamed Black Sox and the event being known as The Black Sox Scandal (Crepeau). In retrospect, not only was this a sad moment in baseball history which tarnished the beloved American pastime, some say permanently, but it also struck a dangerous blow to the delicate psyche of a nation recovering from a World War, and an entire people seeking meaning in life and a renewed identity as a unified people.

In this paper, The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 will be discussed not only based upon the face value of what the scandal was, but also from the vantage points of American history, the scandal's effects on the national pastime, and the role of sports in society as a whole. Upon conclusion of the paper, this pivotal event will be understood in the tradition of its true historical, cultural, and recreational significance.
How the Scandal Came About

Before a true appreciation of the various effects that the Black Sox Scandal had on America, it is important to have at least a basic understanding of the event itself and how it unfolded nearly a century ago.

The Chicago White Sox that existed in 1919 were in themselves a contradiction. While most of the most knowledgeable baseball authorities of the day cited the team as one of the most talented in the game of baseball, and the team had the highest gate receipts and attendance in all of organized baseball, the players were forced to accept salaries that were among the lowest in baseball, per diem that was extremely low, and to pay to have their own uniforms laundered. Moreover, when it came time for White Sox players to renew their playing contracts, it was widely known within the game of baseball that the new contracts were no better, and in some cases worse, than the contracts that were about to expire (Bachin). In the midst of all of this unfair treatment, the players began, not surprisingly, to grow disgruntled and morale was extremely low. However, the game must go on, and the White Sox found themselves earning a path to the World Series. This is where the scandal is said to have began and the details often become sketchy at best.

Knowledgeable spectators at the first game of the series could sense that something was wrong- the White Sox, generally recognized as the superior team in the match up against the Reds, actually ended up losing the game by a wide margin. Initially, this seemingly incredible loss, when questioned by the media and the public, seemed to be simply a fluke, and anyone who insisted otherwise was shunned by the masses.
The Scandal in American Historical Context

Although The Black Sox Scandal was discussed for years after it occurred because of the severity of the incident and the blemish it placed on what was previously perceived to be a clean and honest game, it is likely that the scandal is still talked about today because of the historical context in which the scandal took place and the special role that the game of baseball played for the American society at that delicate time.

America in 1919 was a nation that was in recovery of many types and trying to regain a sense of purpose and normalcy. Up until 1918, the United States was engaged in the horrors, pain and death of fighting World War I, which cost the American economy billions of dollars, the society millions of young men's lives, and left the entire nation feeling hurt and sad, without being sure of which direction to take to try to put things right again.

When the focus came back onto the home front at the end of the war, a wave of what was to eventually be called "Americanism" washed over the nation (Crepeau). Americanism represented something much more powerful that mere patriotism or even national pride; what it represented was an unending loyalty to the United States, due to the fact that so many others around the world had so recently taken up arms against the U.S. and it was suspected that there were many Americans who gave aid and comfort to the wartime enemies by spying on the U.S. and providing secret information to these enemies, which ultimately contributed to the many deaths of innocent Americans on the battlefields of Europe. Because of this recent violence and betrayal, mixed with an intense loyalty on the part of most Americans, there needed to be a way for the pride of American cities, and the people within them, to be expressed without violence, division, or negativity-enter the game of baseball.

Baseball, in its purest and uncompromised form, represented everything that the American people yearned for in 1919- a way to socialize publicly with others who shared a common interest, a means of healthily settling rivalries, and a way to prove the superiority of the American people without using guns and bullets.

Economically, the game of baseball was likewise important; it is the nature of human beings to seek entertainment and excitement, but both of these were lacking in the United States of 1919 for several reasons. First, the economic hardships that the average American family was forced to contend with because of the war made it all but impossible for any sort of entertainment outside of the home to take place for any but the wealthiest among the general population. Beyond this, the nation itself was in an emotional funk; feeling badly that the war took such a toll and wondering when, or if, America could return to her previous glory. Baseball filled these voids quite handily- in this game, even the poorest of Americans could be entertained away from home, since a ticket to a baseball game was priced affordably in the days before huge player salaries and expenses, and for those who could not attend the game in person, the opportunity existed for baseball fans to be able to talk to their friends and neighbors to inquire about the results of games, player activities and the like, thereby encouraging open communication between friends and strangers alike. This social interaction made it possible for the nation overall to be able to rise above its collective funk, gather its wits about it, and move ahead with the everyday activities that would, in time, bring America back from the brink of despair into the role of world superpower.

Effect of the Scandal on "America's Pastime"

Beyond the effect that the Black Sox Scandal had on the American attitude and motivation, the effect that the Scandal had on the game of baseball, known as America's Pastime, was significant and worthy of note.

Taking a step back, prior to the Scandal itself, it should be explained that despite the public perception that baseball was completely pure and free of corruption and dispute, the opposite was actually the case, but the lack of "instant news" such as is in use today resulted in many of the ugliest baseball stories to be isolated to a small audience or regionalized, keeping the average fan misinformed that the national pastime was clean and pure. On the contrary, contract disputes, racism and the like were prevalent in the baseball of the early 20th century, as was the presence of gambling and corruption (Seymour). However, the Black Sox Scandal, perhaps because of its national impact and implications, became the baseball story of the generation, and had the most measurable effect on the overall game.

For the average American, the Black Sox Scandal typically meant that they were to shy away from interest in baseball, but in retrospect, this ignorance of the game was short lived, for the allure of baseball, and the general popularity of it by the majority of Americans, kept the Scandal from being the death toll for the national pastime. The game, in the eyes of the person on the street, was tarnished, but was not destroyed. A closer eye was trained on the teams, however, which led to some changes within the internal power structure of professional baseball itself.

The Black Sox Scandal sent a clear message to the masses about professional baseball in America- individual team owners were not closely monitored nearly enough, had too much power and latitude, and the players were not being held accountable for their actions to any extent strong enough to deter bad behavior. As a result, the foundation was laid for what is known today as the Major League Baseball organization, which established regulations for the conducting of baseball business, standards of operation for teams, and standards of conduct for team players, owners, and management (Seymour).

It can fairly be said that while the Black Sox Scandal did a lot of damage to the game of baseball, it did bring about organizational changes to the game that would have had to happen anyhow, and continue to be important today.

The Role of Sports in Society as a Whole

Since the beginning of the human race, sports, in one form or another, are likely to have existed. Perhaps even in prehistoric times, people competed to see who was the fastest runner or strongest individual- indeed, these qualities were essential for survival itself, so it is entirely possible that these competitions took place for strictly competition's sake, giving birth to what is known as sport (Duquette). As humanity advanced, and economies grew, the wealthy in any society sought entertainment, and as such, competed against other. In modern societies, sports are critically important for several reasons, and especially so in America.

For civilized societies, sports, whether one plays or watches them, gives those who participate first or second hand the chance to share a common interest with other people, giving an excellent social outlet for those individuals; as was alluded to earlier, it is the nature of human beings to wish to congregate with other human beings and feel a form of bonding or kinship. This type of bond and kinship is never better than in the excitement and challenge of sporting events. Due to the technology of the 21st century, it is likewise possible for people to gather together, not necessarily at the actual site of a sporting event, but perhaps at a home or public gathering place to watch an event together via television or Internet, and still experience all of the excitement of actually attending the event. In fact, it is likely that when 21st century culture is studied thousands of years from now, the researchers will be fascinated by the phenomenon of the "tailgate party" and exactly what it did to bring people together, quite literally worldwide.

For American society, perhaps because of the freedom that Americans have to assemble in public and move about freely and definitely because of the competitive spirit of Americans as a people, sports mean a multitude of things. If good or bad, there is no doubt that organized, professional sports contribute billions of dollars to the American economy annually, and employ hundreds of thousands of workers (Duquette). Beyond this, because of the myriad of cultures that exist in the United States, often defined by the borders of the actual states themselves, sports give each part of the vast nation an opportunity to represent themselves to others in other parts of the country, which generates a great deal of pride.

The aspect of civility in modern society is also an important part of the discussion of sports in the present day. While there are undoubtedly occasions where sporting events and the related rivalries generate violence and angry argument, there are overwhelmingly more situations whereby sports afford the chance for societies to release aggression and excitement in a way that allows them to continue to be civil to others. Due to this, the benefits are clear- sport makes it possible for peaceful co-existence among diverse populations, such as the population of the United States.

Summary

Far from just a social issue or a criminal case, the 1919 Black Sox Scandal was something that took place in a formative time in America, and shaped the future of not only the game of baseball, but the progression of American society in the post World War I era. In retrospect, and in closing, it should be understood that even though the Scandal was by and large unfavorable and sad, it did lead to changes and measures that led to baseball being better for having had to experience them.

Works Cited

Bachin, Robin F. "At the Nexus of Labor and Leisure: Baseball, Nativism, and the 1919 Black Sox Scandal." Journal of Social History 36.4 (2003): 941+.

Brody, Saul Nathaniel. "Shoeless Joe Jackson's Bat and the Invention of Baseball History." Nine 11.1 (2002): 89+.

Crepeau, Richard C. "Saying It's So: A Cultural History of the Black Sox Scandal." Nine 12.2 (2004): 140+.

Duquette, Jerold J. Regulating the National Pastime: Baseball and Antitrust. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1999.

Seymour, Harold. Baseball The Golden Age. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.