Book Pick: 'Turning The Black Sox White', by Tim Hornbaker
Sports historian Tim Hornbaker has given us White Sox fans a long overdue re-evaluation of the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal and the role therein of demonized owner Charles A. Comiskey. The clever title refers to the near century long 'whitewashing' of the eight 'Black Sox' who threw 1919 World Series for a quick five figure payday from gamblers seeking to snag six figures via an underdog Cincinnati Reds triumph. Rumors of the fix surfaced after Sox ace Eddie Cicotte plunked the Reds leadoff man in game one signaling to the fixers, 'game on.' The fix succeeded but the Black Sox were double crossed, getting far less than they expected. When the conspiracy unraveled a year later, the culprits were disgraced, and took full blame. But when brought to trial for fraud in 1921, the narrative changed to hard working baseball stiffs being swindled out of fair salaries and bonuses by rich, tightwad Comiskey. The trick worked and all eight were acquitted. Though banned for life by new Baseball Czar Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the Black Sox were still treated as heroes by the fans. Comiskey's portrayal as the real villain in the fix was cemented first, by Eliot Asinov's 1963 best seller 'Eight Men Out' and especially the 1988 movie version. Hornbaker demolishes legend and myth by showing Comiskey consistently paid the highest salaries in the majors and frequently awarded unsolicited bonuses for good play, such as winning the 1917 World Series and defeating the crosstown Cubs year after year in the post season 'Chicago World Series.' Generous Comiskey even coughed up $1,500 per man to the clean Sox after the 1919 series to make up the difference between the winning and losing share. While many clubs fought holdout battles with their stars prior to the 1919 season, nary a White Sox held out for more dough, signing the first contract mailed out pre-season. Truth is duller than fiction which simply involved three ringleaders with money and marital problems, and five dolts, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, who were too stupid and gullible to say 'No.' Ninety-five years on, Charles A. Comiskey, the 'Old Roman,' is finally getting his due.
Sports historian Tim Hornbaker has given us White Sox fans a long overdue re-evaluation of the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal and the role therein of demonized owner Charles A. Comiskey. The clever title refers to the near century long 'whitewashing' of the eight 'Black Sox' who threw 1919 World Series for a quick five figure payday from gamblers seeking to snag six figures via an underdog Cincinnati Reds triumph. Rumors of the fix surfaced after Sox ace Eddie Cicotte plunked the Reds leadoff man in game one signaling to the fixers, 'game on.' The fix succeeded but the Black Sox were double crossed, getting far less than they expected. When the conspiracy unraveled a year later, the culprits were disgraced, and took full blame. But when brought to trial for fraud in 1921, the narrative changed to hard working baseball stiffs being swindled out of fair salaries and bonuses by rich, tightwad Comiskey. The trick worked and all eight were acquitted. Though banned for life by new Baseball Czar Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the Black Sox were still treated as heroes by the fans. Comiskey's portrayal as the real villain in the fix was cemented first, by Eliot Asinov's 1963 best seller 'Eight Men Out' and especially the 1988 movie version. Hornbaker demolishes legend and myth by showing Comiskey consistently paid the highest salaries in the majors and frequently awarded unsolicited bonuses for good play, such as winning the 1917 World Series and defeating the crosstown Cubs year after year in the post season 'Chicago World Series.' Generous Comiskey even coughed up $1,500 per man to the clean Sox after the 1919 series to make up the difference between the winning and losing share. While many clubs fought holdout battles with their stars prior to the 1919 season, nary a White Sox held out for more dough, signing the first contract mailed out pre-season. Truth is duller than fiction which simply involved three ringleaders with money and marital problems, and five dolts, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, who were too stupid and gullible to say 'No.' Ninety-five years on, Charles A. Comiskey, the 'Old Roman,' is finally getting his due.
posted by Walt Zlotow at 9:08 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home