World Series: Did You Know?

Of Chick Gandil's five RBIs in 1919, three of them either tied the game or put Chicago ahead.

By all accounts the ringleader of the most notorious World Series ever played, Chick Gandil certainly was a player to watch in '19. The way the Fall Classic began to unfold that year, it was obvious some members of the Chicago White Sox weren't trying. Two years later, eight members of the team would be banned for life.

For starters, they got bombed 9-1 in the opening tilt. Their opposition, Cincinnati, was a great team, make no mistake. Should it have been this obvious that National League Pennant winners were better? 

Eddie Cicotte, the starting pitcher on the White Sox that opening tilt, took the hill in Redland Field in the bottom of the first and promptly hit the very first batter he faced. There was something truly amiss here, folks.

Morrie Rath had taken one for the team, but it proved to be worth it. Jake Daubert, the Reds' first basemen, singled Rath to third. Heinie Groh sent one to left. Far enough back that Morrie Rath scored after Joe Jackson made the catch. 

But down 1-0, Chicago came right back and tied it. Leading off the second for the White Sox, Shoeless Joe Jackson sent one to short. Larry Kopf, the Cincinnati shortstop, didn't come up with it the right way. His throw to first was off the mark. Badly enough off the mark that Joe Jackson made it to second. HSo the home team had some problems in the field, too? Well, in any event, there was Shoeless Joe, waiting to be driven home. Happy Felsch had bunted, you see. So now there was one out, with a man on third. It was our boy Chick Gandil that came through with an RBI single. 1-1. 

The problem was, that was "All she wrote" for Chicago in this game. Cincinnati scored eight runs after that, winning it easily. Chick had certainly had a very interesting game. He made it 2-2 at the dish with a single to start the fifth. But was stranded. In the field, he made an error in the bottom of the seventh.

Jake Daubert had tripled to get it all started. Heinie Groh singled him home. At this point, it was the Reds ahead of the White Sox, convincingly. As in, 7-1. Edd Roush bunted to third basemen Buck Weaver. Weaver's throw to first was not a good one. And it was not handled properly by Chick Gandil. To be fair, Gandil lost the ball, only after colliding with Roush. However, an error was charged to Gandil. Groh motored to third. And with runners on the corners, it was Pat Duncan that forced the Groh. The play was Swede Risberg to Eddie Collins. But that was all the White Sox got. Collins' throw to first was too late and Groh scored.

The second contest, also in Cincinnait, was a struggle. The home team came out on top, 4-2, despite being outhit 10-4. Two errors by the Reds in the top of the gave the visitors two runs. Meaning, no RBIs for anyone on the White Sox.

It was a strange game, as even some of the proven or suspected fixers appeared to be trying. Lefty Williams, the Chicago starter, seemed to be giving it his all through three innings. Our boy Chick Gandil had his chances to make a difference, but did not.

It all started in the bottom of the second. A promising first inning for the White Sox had been diffused quickly. Eddie Collins had drawn a one-out walk. But then Buck Weaver lined into an inning-ending double play. The Reds had some back luck of their own in the last of the first. Heinie Groh got a hold of one and hit it well to right. But Shano Collins made a terrific catch to end a 1-2-3 inning by Lefty Williams.

The second frame was better. Shoeless Joe Jackson doubled. Happy Felsch bunted him to third. The Reds played the infield in, and it worked. All Chick Gandil could do was ground out. And when Swede Risberg flied out, a promising scoring opportunity was gone.

The Reds got the leadoff man on in the bottom of the second, but then a double play was turned by the Sox. And when Larry Koft flied out, that was that.

Some good fielding by Cincinnati averted possible trouble for the Reds in the top of the third. Catcher Ray Schalk made some good contact, but Edd Roush went to the gap in right-centre and hauled 'er in. Lefty Williams was not a good hitter. And since he was in on the fix, you'd have figured making an out here would be pretty harmless. Instead, the career .159 hitter singled. It seemd like the Chicago White Sox pitcher was doing everything he could (At this point) to help his team win. Alas, the next two batters couldn't help Williams. Shano Collins lined out. Eddie Collins grounded to first, where Jake Daubert make the play himself.

Lefty Williams got Cincy 1-2-3 in the last of the third, to keep pace with a very ordinary Slim Sallee. The Chicago bats kept coming up with hits, but they lacked that one stroke that could make a difference in this contest.

You'd think Chicago was going to finally score when Buck Weaver and Joe Jackson wasted no time in getting on base in the top of the fourth. Both players found Slim Sallee's first pitch hittable. And each got a single. Happy Felsch liked what he saw in Sallee's first pitch, too. But Happy was up there to get those runners over. So again, Felsch bunted, moving Buck Weaver to third and Joe Jackson to second. Slim Sallee was throwing the ball badly. Not one called strike yet after three batters faced in the top of the fourth. Chick Gandil was up. A single here and it's 2-0. Chick didn't wait. This was the fourth straight batter who swung at the first offering from Slim Sallee. However, the result was a grounder to first, in which Buck Weaver tried to score on but was thrown out at the dish by Jake Daubert. There were still runners on the corners, but now two out.

A possible dumb move was then done by Gandil. Although he'd stolen ten bases in 1919, to attempt so here would be foolish. You don't want to end the inning by being caught stealing. Gandil slid into second...Only to find out he'd caught everybody napping. Cincinnati Reds' catcher Bill Rariden had merely tossed the ball back to Slim Sallee. So I guess Gandil might as well have walked into second. All this was for not, as Swede Risberg couldn't come through. He popped up behind first, Jake Daubert making the catch in shallow right.

Well, that lack of clutch hitting sure cost the visiting team. Cincinnati made 'em pay in their turn at the dish. The bottom of the fourth began with Morrie Rath drawing a walk. A sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position. Lefty Williams' control was becoming a question mark after issuing another walk. Edd Roush singled to centre, making it 1-0 for Cincinnati. Roush then did the same stupid thing Chick Gandil did earlier this inning. With Heinie Groh on third, Roush tried to make it two runners in scoring position. Unlike Gandil, he was not successful. Chicago got a big out there.

However, Pat Duncan kept the inning alive with, you guessed it, another walk of Lefty Williams. Then, a big hit by the Reds. Larry Kopf send it way over Joe Jackson's head in left. All the way to the screen for a triple. Two more runs and a 3-0 lead for the home team.

Cincy added a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Williams shut them out the rest of the way. Lefty's team wasn't getting the hits when he needed them too, alas. Take Chick Gandil for instance. He started the top of the seventh the wrong way, by grounding out to first. Swede Risberg singled. And when Ray Schalk followed with one of his own, the Reds started having trouble fielding. First, they tried to get Schalk at second (Risberg had made it to third), and failed. The throw from Greasy Neale was way off line. Heinie Groh, who was the Reds' third basemen, had to fetch the thing in foul territory. You see, no one backed up second! Risberg scored. Groh got to the ball, and saw a streaking Ray Schalk. Schalk headed home himself in all this confusion. The throw from third ended up hitting him. But it didn't stop a second run from touching home. So much for Cincinnati having this thing on cruise control the rest of the way.

The home team managed to get just one more baserunner the rest of the way as Lefty Williams held Cincinnati at bay. Actually, credit must go to Happy Felsch in centre, who made a fine catch in the bottom of the eighth and doubled up Heinie Groh. The play went Felsch, to second basemen Eddie Collins, to first basemen Chick Gandil.

So Gandil was involved in a nice fielding play. That's surprising. But what about his bat? The eighth inning had gone by uneventfully for the Chicago bats. Joe Jackson hit a grounder to second with two outs and the bases empty. Morrie Rath got to it, but Jackson beat the throw to first, keeping the inning alive. Worse still, the throw was off the target, and Shoeless Joe made it to second. There, he stayed as Happy Felsch hit a low liner to third. Heinie Groh could only knock it down, so he had to throw to first to get Felsch. And was glad he did, as Heinie had cost his team a run an inning earilier.

Chick Gandil did start the top of the ninth the right way with a single. So the tying run was at the dish in this 4-2 ballgame. But only temporarily, as Swede Risberg hit into a double play. Ray Schalk, as he had in the seventh inning, singled. Fred McMullin batted for Lefty Williams, but ended the game by grounding out.

What did in Chicago was starter Lefty Williams lack of control. Sure, he'd gone eight strong innings, but Williams walked six batters. Remember those three big mistakes by issuing bases on balls in the bottom of the fourth.

Things got better for Chicago when they returned home. Their pitching certainly held up. Dickie Kerr pitched a pretty-much needed shutout. Though the White Sox bats woke up, it was barely enough.

Joe Jackson led off the last of the last of the second with a single on the very first pitch he saw. Happy Felsch tried for still another bunt, and pitcher Ray Fischer tried to get Jackson at second. All Fischer ended up doing was tossing the ball into centre field. Shoeless Joe fell after passing second, but the fleet-footed outfielder still managed to get to third despite a great throw by Edd Roush. The Reds perhaps should have played this the safe way. First, they'd tried to get the lead runner and failed. Then, they should have given up on the speedy Joe Jackson and thrown to second to stop Happy Felsch. Because of those two mistakes, there were two runners in scoring position. 

Chick Gandil, perhaps trying his best, singled home both men to put Chicago up 2-0. But other than that, it wasn't that much of an impression by the home team in this game. How many hits did they get off Ray Fisher and Dolph Luque (Who pitched the eighth inning for the Reds)? Just seven. Chick Gandil was retired the next two times up, not even getting the ball out of the infield. In the bottom of the sixth, Gandil looked at strike three. Though Shoeless Joe and Happy Felsch had both reached base that inning, they each had gotten greedy. They both ended up being caught stealing.

Well, if that game wasn't a good enough impression for Chicago, the next two games weren't either. Actually, they were worse. Seems like the fixers (Proven or suspected) were actually the only ones good enough on offence in the pivotal fourth contest in Chicago. The White Sox managed just three hits. The Reds only had five themselves as Eddie Cicotte pitched much better than in the opening bout. The problem here, was Cicotte's fielding. It was atrocious.

But it seemed like the last of the second was time for another possible two (Or more) runs for the White Sox. Shoeless Joe Jackson did even better than he had at this point in the third contest. He leadoff with a two-bagger. Happy Felsch bunted him to third. And here's where Chick Gandil didn't come through. All he did was pop out. Swede Risberg was in on the fix, too. But here, Swede walked. And stole second. Perhaps Risberg was trying to end the inning with a caught stealing? Ray Schalk was not in on the fix, but he also walked. The bases were loaded for Eddie Cicotte. All Eddie could do was ground out.

The next inning saw another scoring opportunity arise for Chicago. The game was scoreless in the bottom of the third. But here, Eddie Collins reached first when he took one for the team. Buck Weaver grounded out, and Collins was now on second. The inning should have ended as Shoeless Joe sent a grounder to second. Alas, Morrie Rath made an error, putting runners on the corners. Happy Felsch grounded out to third to end that.

Eddie Cicotte seemed to be trying to make amends for his lackluster game one effort here. But with one out, his peg to first on grounder by Pat Duncan was wide of the bag. Duncan made it all the way to second. Larry Kopf singled to left. Joe Jackson got to it and fired home. Here's where Eddie Cicotte failed again. He intercepted Jackson's throw for some reason. Or at least tried to. The ball ended up deflecting past everyone, including catcher Ray Schalk. So the ice ended up being broken on the play.

Cincinnati wasn't through. A double to left followed, and it was 2-0, Reds. That also ended up being the final score. And it's not like the momentum didn't carry over to the next game. Or even game six.

It was the Reds winning game five, 5-0. So Cincy pitchers Jimmy Ring and Hod Eller had back-to-back shutouts in the 1919 World Series. Back-to-back three-hitters, too. In the bottom of the second, down went Chick Gandil on strikes, as Hod Eller was on the way to a Fall Classic record of six straight strikeouts (To this day, the only starter ever to accomplish this). The win didn't actually clinch the series for the National League winners, as it was best-of-nine. Still, up 4-1 in the October Classic, the Reds appeared to be home free. They'd have not one, but two opportunities to clinch it at home.

Supposedly, Chicago had a change of heart at this point. Supposedly. Their efforts the last two games, plus the opening tilt, had to be raising some eyebrows. It's not like the sixth contest started out any better.

For starters, the Reds' hurler was Dutch Ruether. He'd been amazing in game one. One unearned run allowed. And just six hits permitted in an easy win. Plus, Dickie Kerr was back, but not effective. Kerr had the White Sox only win so far with a fine effort in the first game in Chicago. 

But here, Dickie just didn't seem to have it. Or maybe Cincinnati just were hitting better. In any event, it was 4-0 for the Reds after four innings. The home team could see the finish line. Yet, quickly the White Sox brought the Reds' faithful back to earth.

Eddie Collins drove home the first Chicago run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth. Yet, it looked bad, as Cincinnati managed to turn a double play when Dickie Kerr ran to an occupied base as Swede Risberg tagged and scored from third. Kerr was on the verge of hitting the showers in this contest, and wasn't helping on the bases, either.

Nonetheless, the Sox tied the game in the sixth, but no thanks to Chick Gandil. Buck Weaver was the catalyst. He doubled to start the inning. Joe Jackson drove him home with a single. The other big hit was Happy Felsch, who did Jackson better, by doubling. The type of hit you need to keep a rally going. Jackson scored on the play, to make it a one-run game.

Now here's where Chick Gandil was needed. All Chick could do pop out. Swede Risberg also was retired, and Felsch was still on second. Two away. Ray Schalk tied the game with a clutch single.

The game remained tied until extras. But it's not like Chicago didn't have their chances. And they really needed to take advantage of them. Cincinnati sure wasn't. They'd had a man on third with less than two outs in the fourth. However, Jake Daubert flied out to Joe Jackson in left. But Morrie Rath tagged at third and tried to score. Jackson nailed him at the dish. Because it was 4-0 for the Reds at this point, the play didn't seem like such a big deal.

However, it was one of the reasons it was 4-4 after nine innings. The home team left a man on third in the fifth. They put two on for Edd Roush in the seventh, but another double play ended that. Two more men were on with two away in the last of the eighth for Cincinnati. Bill James began to looses up in the Chicago bullpen. The situation sure cried out for a pinch hitter by Cincinnati. For some reason, the Reds let their pitcher, Jimmy Ring, bat for himself. Needless to say, Ring didn't do the job.

Now, Chicago made some noise in the top of the eighth, too. Shoeless Joe walked. With one away, our boy Chick Gandil walked. Edd Roush then saved Cincinnati with an excellent catch of Swede Risberg. Jackson was doubled off second base. It was the second double play Roush had helped turn against Chicago in this game. The Reds' centre fielder was having quite an afternoon. He'd gotten a hit, gotten hit, and scored a run. What hadn't happened to him?

Jimmy Ring may have been tiring in this game, though. The White Sox just hadn't had any luck with him in this World Series. Ring had won the pivotal game four with an excellent three-hit shutout. Here, Chicago seemed to be doing better, but he kept the shutout streak of his going. He walked another batter in the ninth. His pitching line read: Four innings, no runs, one hit, and one strikeout! The three bases on balls might have been a concern. But when you've gone thirteen straight innings without allowing a run, who cares?

But if the Chicago White Sox couldn't buy a run off Jimmy Ring, then the Cincinnati Reds couldn't buy a run off Dickie Kerr past the fourth frame. Although Cincinnati had eleven hits off him in only nine innings, the White Sox pitcher was battling all the way

It was in the top of the tenth that Chicago broke the 4-4 tie. Buck Weaver again ignited it. Again he doubled. Joe Jackson tried to sacrifice Weaver to third. Would you believe it, Jackson did better? He beat out the throw from catcher Bill Rariden. So now there were runners on the corners for the visiting White Sox. Happy Felsch fanned, which was the second strikeout by Jimmy Ring in just 4 1/3 innings pitched. Would our boy Chick Gandil come through?

Cincinnati moved the infield in to cut of the go-ahead run. Instead, it was the Chicago first basemen that hit a bouncer...Into the outfield! 5-4, White Sox. It seemed like they were destined for more, with two on and only one away. A liner by Swede Risberg was snared, and Joe Jackson was doubled off second. Seems like fate was against the White Sox, even if everyone was trying their best.

Well, no matter. Down went Cincinnati 1-2-3 in the bottom of the tenth. So the Reds still lead the series 4-2, with another chance to clinch at home in game seven.

The good news for the White Sox was they were facing Slim Sallee again. Chicago seemed to like facing him in the World Series. They'd gotten ten hits off him in the second contest here. Back in 1917, Sallee had pitched for the New York Giants against Chicago in the World Series.

The first time Sallee faced Chicago in that Fall Classic, he was narrowly beaten, 2-1. But he allowed just seven hits. The next outing for Slim in the 1917 World Series was a disaster. He lasted just 7 1/3 innings, giving up 13 hits. Add to that, another 10 hits by Chicago in the second contest two years later, and this might have been a bad situation for Cincinnati.

But then again, Eddie Cicotte was 0-2 in the 1919 Fall Classic. Even with a 1.57 earned run average, Eddie was just 1-1 in the World Series two years earlier. He'd never really pitched well in the postseason. Cicotte had given up 23 hits in 23 innings pitched in 1917. He'd given up 7 hits in just 3 2/3 innings in game one of the 1919 World Series. Game four had been better. Well, pitching-wise. His fielding had been terrible.

The end result was positive for the Chicago White Sox, as they won 4-1. The game itself was sort of like game three, in that they weren't overwhelming with their offence, and Cicotte sort of faded in the later stages of the game. Let me explain.

First, Chicago offence. It came early. Real early. And exclusively off the starting pitching. 

In the last of the first, Shano Collins led off with a single off Slim Sallee. Then Eddie Collins, who was not related to Shano, bunted. Buck Weaver flew out, though, and the rally appeared to be dying.

However, Shoeless Joe Jackson singled home Shano Collins, and the home team was ahead for good. The Reds then began their day of bad fielding. Jackson took too big of a turn around first, and was hung up. Morrie Rath's peg to first basemen Jack Daubert didn't go as planned, enabling Jackson to get back safely. Did Chick Gandil help, though? Happy Felsch moved Jackson to second with a single. But all Gandil could do is force Felsch at second.

The third inning started out with a promise of a huge frame. Not only did Shano Collins single again, but Eddie Collins followed suit. Buck Weaver, though, hit into a double play. Joe Jackson salvaged a run in the inning with another RBI single. Still, it seemed like Chicago could have gotten more.

With one away in the fifth, it was time for the White Sox to score more. Eddie Collins singled with one out. Then the Reds' infield couldn't field. First, Buck Weaver reached on an error by Heinie Groh. Then Shoeless Joe Jackson reached on an error by Morrie Rath. Originally, this was scored a hit by Jackson. Changed to an error later, and one of four that Cincinnati made in the contest.

So Happy Felsch singled, scoring two runs unearned. It was 4-0 now, and Cincinnati was playing really bad. Whenever Jackson batted, the Reds made errors. Speaking of Shoeless Joe, he was now on second with just one out.

Poor Slim Sallee. 4 1/3 innings pitched. 9 hits allowed. It was time for a shower. In came Ray Fisher. Chick Gandil, looking for his fifth RBI of the 1919 Fall Classic, grounded right back to him, sending Joe Jackson to third. The inning ended as Swede Risberg fanned.

Cincinnati had a chance at Eddie Cicotte in the fifth. They put two men on. Dutch Ruether, who'd been hitting well, actually got up there as a pinch hitter (For pitcher Ray Fisher. The very man who couldn't close the deal on Chicago in game six, now had a chance to get his team back into contention here the next contest. But Ruether who was hitting .800 (4-6), popped out to Buck Weaver at third. Morrie Rath then grounded out to Buck Weaver at third.

The home team had a new pitched in the sixth innings. Cuban Dolf Luque came in. With two away, Shano Collins doubled. It would be the only hit off Luque. His effort in keeping Chicago at bay was rewarded soon enough. Cincinnati broke Eddie Cicotte's shutout bid in the last of the bottom of the six via a pair of two-baggers.

In the seventh, the Reds got two more on but did not score. Chick Gandil came back up in the top of the eight and hit one to left. Larry Koft, the shortstop, raced into short left to make the catch. It was an easy 1-2-3 inning for Dolph Luque. The ninth inning was no different for him. The Reds should have brought him in sooner. Cicotte didn't have an easy time in the ninth as Cincinnati refused to go away. A pair of two out singles put the tying run at the dish. Morrie Rath flew out to right.

So this 1919 World Series had been all Cincinnati's sans the third contest. But now, suddenly, Chicago was right back in the hunt. They'd been getting the clutch hits recently that had eluded them earlier.

Back home in Chicago, a determined Cincinnati team was determined to settle this nonsense. They rushed out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Chicago should have gotten one run back, as they put runners on second and third in the bottom of the frame. However, Nemo Leibold failed to tag up on a ball hit behind third in foul territory. So the inning ended with the Reds with a comfortable lead. They didn't look back.

In the top of the second, the visiting Cincinnati team added another run. It was done the ugly way. A double by Edd Roush scored Heinie Groh. Roush, however, rounded second and had ideas of getting to within ninety feet away from the dish. However, his counterpart in centre, Nemo Leibold, sprang into action. Normally, that position was played by Oscar "Happy" Felsch, one of the better outfielders of the day. Leibold got the ball back to Swede Risberg at short. Caught in a rundown, Edd Roush was putout shortly thereafter. It wouldn't be the Reds' centre fielders' only moment of embarrassment on the afternoon. He'd be a well-red-faced Red come the eighth inning. Still, it was now 5-0 for Cincy after 1 1/2 innings before our boy even had a chance to pick up a bat.

It seemed like the Reds' pitcher, Hod Eller, was hitable this game. He'd had little to not problems with the White Sox in the fifth contest. Here, it was a struggle for him. Like Slim Sallee in the second tilt, he managed to pitch out of trouble. At least for a while.

Chick Gandil wasn't helping matters. He was just two for his last twelve. And here, Chick got things off on the wrong foot as he lined out to Jake Daubert at first.

Gandil was the first batter in the second. From there, though, things got troublesome for Hod Eller. Swede Risberg walked. Catcher Ray Schalk should have been the second out, but his counterpart on Cincinnati, Bill Rariden, dropped the ball. It certainly appeared to be a costly error as Schalk singled. The Sox catcher was doing everything he could to help his team here. He'd been throwing out baserunners behind the dish at a record pace. Chicago had three hits off Hod Eller in 1 1/3 inning. That was their total in the entire fifth game.

Nonetheless, Hod bore down. For some reason or another, Chicago sent up pitcher Bill James to hit next. James had relieved a battered Lefty Williams in the first frame, but was no hitter (.142 lifetime). This would be his last major league game. Bill popped out. Nemo Leibold fanned.

The White Sox did get on the board in the last of the third as Shoeless Joe Jackson hit a solo home run. But the Reds quickly went back to work. They had a chance in the top of the fourth but failed to score despite Hod Eller getting hit by a pitch and two straight singles. Eller tried to score on the second single, but again Nemo Leibold had other ideas, nailing him at the dish.

A setback, for sure, for the Reds. But they weren't done. Chick Gandil got to bat in the bottom of the fourth, but was merely part of a 1-2-3 inning by Hod Eller, who appeared to have things back in order. Cincinnati gave him some breathing room as Larry Kopf hit a two out triple in the top of the fifth. Greasy Neale hit the ball to the hole in left. Both Buck Weaver and Swede Risberg were of the attitude, "It's yours!" Well, neither men got to the ball. 6-1, Reds.|

Soon, the lead swelled to 9-1 in the top of the sixth. However, Buck Weaver led off the bottom half of the inning with a single. Joe Jackson gave it a ride to centre for the first out. Happy Felsch also hit it to centre fielder Edd Roush, who wasn't having any problems in the field - yet. Chick Gandil ended the inning by flying out to Greasy Neal in right.

The Reds weren't exactly letting up, and extended their lead to 10-1 going into the bottom of the eight. Here's where the White Sox woke up, but really it was more a case of the outfield of the Reds sleeping on the job.

Nemo Leibold led off with a fly to right. Greasy Neale made the catch. One away. But then the wheels came off Hod Eller's chariot. Eddie Collins singled. Buck Weaver doubled. When Joe Jackson followed Weaver's two-bagger with one of his owm, it was 10-3. But that's really all the home team should have got.

Happy Felsch was retired on a pop out to Jake Daubert at first. Two away. The third out should have followed, but our boy came through, aided by the sun. Greasy Neale couldn't come up with a ball hit his direction. Gandil ended up on third. The triple cashed in Jackson. Edd Roush himself had problems with Swede Risberg. The error allowed Chick Gandil to score, making it 10-5.

Well, the visitors still were doublin' up on the home team, but their fielding was now terrible. Mercifully speaking, the inning came to an end as Ray Schalk was retired. The ninth inning wasn't too eventful, although Cincinnati got a man on and Chicago threatened with two runners in scoring position. The score remained 10-5 as the game and series ended with Joe Jackson grounding out to second basemen Morrie Rath.

For Chick Gandil, this was his last major league game. A holdout the next season, he stayed home. Chick had asked for $10,000 from Chicago despite all that he earned from being involved in the scandal. Ironically, it was during the 1920 season that he played in and outlaw league. With commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis' 1921 decree that all the "Black Sox" players were banned for life, this would be the only baseball Gandil and the seven others would ever play the rest of their lives. He lived until 1970. At the time of his death, he was one of only two players banned for life for fixing the 1919 World Series that were still alive. Swede Risberg would die five years later, which sort of closed the book on the fixing of the Fall Classic. The White Sox, as a team, would not return to the World Series until 1959. And the Pale Hose wouldn't win the World Series again until 2005.

References

Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? McFarland, 2001. Kindle edition.

Freedman, Lew. “Where Did The Knuckler Come From?” Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch. Sports Publishing, 2015, pp. 8–19.
 

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Taylor Publishing Company, 1992.

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain’t So, Joe!: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Revised ed. Citadel Press, 1992, pp. 156–231.

Halfon, Mark S. “The Black Sox Scandals.” Tales from the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Potomac Books, 2014, pp. 144–158.
 

Hornbaker, Tim. “The Conspiracy Unfolds.” Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson. Sports Publishing, 2018, pp. 158–172. 


Nemec, et al. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd. 2008.
 

Morissey, Scott C. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed. Pandamonium Publishing House, 2020.
 

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. St. Martin's Press, 1990.
 

-----------The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. St. Martin's Press, 1992.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, http://www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 02 Jan. 2022.

Snyder, John. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. Chronicle Books, 1995.
 

Society For American Baseball Research, SABR, https://sabr.org/. 02 Jan. 2022.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 02 Jan. 2022.

Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. “The Faith of Fifty Million People.” Baseball: An Illustrated History, Alfred A. Knopf, 2010, pp. 133–141. 

World Series: Did You Know?

Eddie Collins stole at least one base in all six Fall Classics he participated in. So make so mistake, he was great with the bat and on the bases. He was an excellent fielder, too. And in the World Series, he usually put on a show with all three. For today though, let's focus on his baserunning!

Collins first appeared in the Fall Classic with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1910. The A's were up against the Chicago Cubs. Philly was hoping for better luck than they'd had in the October Classic in 1905, when Christy Matthewson shut them out three times. The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, had lost the 1906 Fall Classic to their cross-town rivals the White Sox. Things were better the next two years for the Cubbies: They beat Detroit both times!

So, for the Cubs, it was just another World Series. For Philadelphia, they were still looking for their first World Crown. Would their second basemen make a difference?

While Philadelphia won game one, Collins had a mixed game. He singled once. He also walked. But Eddie didn't steal a base and got caught trying to! But given another chance, the second basemen came through.

Not only did the Athletics win game two at home, 9-3 (To go up 2-0 in this World Series), but Collins did it all. Hits? Three. Stolen bases? Two. Trailing 1-0, Eddie's double in the last of the third put Chicago up 2-1, although he was only awarded one RBI. Better still, the two-bagger was off some chap named Three Finger Brown. Philly never looked back.

Collins got caught stealing in game three, won by Philadelphia on the road, 12-5. Though the A's dropped the fourth contest in extras, Collins made sure Chicago wouldn't get this thing back to Philly. What a performance he had in the fifth game. Twice driving in a run via a hit, Eddie followed that with a stolen base. Collins ended the fifth contest with three hits and two RBI in Philadelphia's 7-2 series-clinching win.

Philly beat their old 1905 rivals in the World Series the next year. This time, they needed one more game to pull it off. The New York Giants put up a tremendous fight in the series, even pulling off game five to send it back to Philadelphia. But once there, it was Collins with an RBI and a run scored despite not getting a hit. The home team might have been mad about blowing a 3-0 lead after six innings the previous contest. The Athletics gave the poor Giants no chance at a comeback in the sixth class. The final score was 13-2.

Collins ended up with just two stolen bases in the six tilts, but that tied teammate Jack Barry and New York Giants' second basemen Larry Doyle for the series lead. It was a bit of an odd World Series for Eddie. He didn't perform well in games one, five and six. But how about the second, third and fourth contest?

Eddie Collins got two hits in each, batting .545 in that span. He swiped base in game three, too. The Philly second basemen's only other stolen base was in that tough game five loss. By failing to get a hit in the last two contests, Collins would have to be content with a .286 batting average to go along with his second ring. Eddie had hit .429 in the 1910 World Series.

Not to worry. New York was disposed of again by the Philadelphia A's two years later, and this time in only five games. Collins did it all in game one. Three hits and a walk. Three runs scored. One of his hits was for three bases. And Eddie added a stolen base. In the third contest, Collins again got three hits. This time, he drove in three runs. Oh, and he also stole a base. Although held hitless in game four, the Philadlephia second basemen stole his third base of the 1913 Fall Classic.

The A's made it back to the final stage the next season. But the Boston Braves swept them. There is little to write about about Philly or Eddie Collins in the 1914 World Series. He stole one base. And he hit just .214.

Three years later, Eddie Collins was back to his fifth World Series, but it would not be with Philadelphia. No, now he was on the Chicago White Sox. Along with such stars as Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch, Eddie was on a great team. And for a while, they made a bid for a sweep of the New York Giants. New York must have been getting tired of facing teams that had Eddie Collins on them in October.

So Collins and company won game one, 2-1 at home. The Giants played well early, but couldn't do much with the White Sox starting pitcher Eddie Collins. Both Chicago and New York finished with seven hits, but Eddie got none. Nor did he steal a base. The Pale Hose pitcher Eddie Cicotte got better as the game went on, and after giving up a run in the top of the fifth, nailed the door shut. But couldn't Chicago do better?

They sure did in game two. The White Sox won 7-2. How did Eddie do? He got two hits and two steals. Were the steals important? It actually happened in the last of the sixth in this game at Comisky Park. Collins had driven home a run in the fourth inning to make it 5-2 for the home team. He wasn't finished. The single also put runners on first and third. Shoeless Joe Jackson singled, and Collins turned on the jets. That helped make it a two-run single! Yep, Collins flashed his speed to do more than just steal bases in this contest. Eddie had help turn a 4-2 game into a 7-2 rout!

And Collins wasn't finished.

Two innings later, there were two outs, and not a single batter on. But Collins got on via a single. Joe Jackson was back up, and Eddie tried to make another RBI all the more easier for him. The White Sox second basemen stole second. Jackson walked. With Happy Felsch up, you might expect more offence. After all, he'd gotten a four-bagger the game before. Collins was probably thinking how he could make things easier for Felsch now. He stole third! But all Felsch could do this time was ground out, leaving runners on the corners. Eddie Collins did not get to bat again, but I"m sure he was happy with Chicago's 7-2 win.

You'd think the New York Giants were goners. But somehow, they shutout Chicago in game three, 2-0. Collins wasn't to blame. He got two hits. Jackson got none. After fanning in the top of the first inning in the next contest, Eddie Collins hit a double to start the fourth inning at the Polo Grounds. But Shoeless Joe was not equal to the task. All Joe could do was pop out. Eddie was then picked off second. So much for the promising inning. Happy Felsch fanned.

Felsch watched helplessly as Benny Kauff made 'em pay in the last of the fourth. He launched one to centre, then raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. This just wasn't the White Sox day. Though Eddie Collins walked and stole a base in the ninth, it was kinda "One of those games". Not only for him, but for his teammates. They had their chances. They didn't deliver. Ferdie Schupp of the New York Giants pitched the second straight shutout. So this thing was all level.

But, that was sort of New York's last gasp. Chicago won game six, 8-5. Collins did not steal a base, but he did he ever contribute. He ended the game with three hits and a walk. Eddie scored two runs and drove in one. The home team had held serve through five games.

However, that changed in the sixth matchup. Did Collins have anything to do with it? Well, in the top of the fourth inning of a scoreless game, Collins reached via an error. So did Joe Jackson. They both ended up scoring. Eddie scored when pitcher Rube Benton tried to make a play on Happy Felsch's infield grounder and get a force. Rube got no one out. Collins scored from third Happy and Shoeless Joe took an extra base for good measure. Jackson and Felsch then scored on Chick Gandil's single. The White Sox were up 3-0. The Giants came back to cut it to one on Buck Herzog's triple, however, their offence stalled after that. Red Faber slammed the door shut. Nemo Leibold drove home an important insurance run. The Pale Hose had their second World Series championship!

And they wouldn't have done it without Eddie Collins. He'd been his usual awesome self. He'd hit .409! This was not his last Fall Classic, too.

Sadly, it all ended for Collins on a complete downer. The infamous 1919 World Series awaited Eddie and his White Sox. But the efforts of eight members of Chicago would come under question. It didn't help matters that the Cincinnati Reds, opposing the Chicago White Sox in the October Showdown that year, were an excellent team. And they had pitching.

Eddie wasn't quite his usual self, either. The first game was all Reds. Despite Eddie Collins picking up a hit, they won 9-1 in a laugher at home. Chicago could have used more from Collins in the second contest. The White Sox collected ten hits to the Reds' four, but lost 4-2.

Well, those were two tough road losses. A return to Comisky Park in Chicago brought 'em back on track. Dickie Kerr pitched the first shutout of the series for the home team, who won 3-0.

But Eddie wasn't able to contribute much. After grounding out in the first, Collins had to wait until the third to bat again. The second inning had been a good frame for the White Sox. Kerr held the fort. Chick Gandil drove in Shoeless Joe and Happy Felsch with a single in the bottom of the inning.

Now, it was the third, and Chicago was looking for more. Collins singled to start it. Buck Weaver followed suit. Jackson tried to bunt 'em over. Nope. Pop up. One away. Felsch then hit into an inning-ending double play. The next inning was better, though. Catcher Ray Schalk drove in Swede Risberg, who'd tripled, with a bunt single. The Chicago team was swinging and connecting! Six hits and three runs through four.

It kinda stalled after that. The Pale Hose got only one more hit when Shoeless Joe connected for a sixth inning leadoff single. Guess what? The fleet-footed outfielder tried himself for a stolen base. Got nailed. Happy Felsch coaxed a walk from Cincinnati pitcher Ray Fisher. He tried to steal second. And Happy was not happy with the result.

So the Chicago White Sox 3-0, and Dickie Kerr held the opposition to just three hits. However, Collins was in a slump. He was hitting .182. He had some company. Felsch was hitting .000. So was Nemo Leibold. Shano Collins, who was not related to Eddie, was hitting just .125.

The slumps seemed to continue. Chicago themselves got three-hit in the fourth contest by Jimmy Ring. Ring allowed hits by Shoeless Joe Jackson (A double), Happy Felsch (Who was hitting .100 by the end of the contest) and Chick Gandil. Gandil now had three RBIs to top the Pale Hose. But none were in this game, which the home team lost 2-0. Jimmy Ring had allowed three walks and his team had committed two errors behind him.

The team loaded the bases in the bottom of the second on Jackson's double plus two walks. Collins was hit by a pitch the next inning. With two away, Jackson reached on one of those two errors I mentioned above. The end result was Happy Felsch not coming through, leaving runners on the corners.

Trailing 2-0 in the last of the fifth, Nemo Leibold reached on the other Cincinnati error of the afternoon. There was one away and Eddie Collins was back at the plate. All he ended up doing was forcing Leibold. Buck Weaver ended the inning by grounding out.

Chicago catcher Ray Schalk reached base his last two times up in the contest, both of which resulted in Eddie Collins getting a chance to make a difference. In the bottom of the seventh, Schalk led off by taking one for the team. Then with two away, Collins was up. Jimmy Ring got him to ground out to third basemen Heinie Groh. Finally, in the ninth, it was Schalk on with a walk. Collins ended the game by lining out to Groh.

There was more bad news for Chicago in game five. It was a must-win game, as the Fall Classic was best-of-nine that season. To fall behind 4-1 would put them in serious trouble. Game six was back in Crosley Field. And the Reds would then have two cracks at closing it out at home.

Cincinnati won game five, 5-0. It was a masterful performance by Hod Eller. Hod allowed just three hits himself. And he fanned six in a row, setting an all-time Fall Classic record.

Collins did little in the contest. He grounded out in the last of the first against Eller. That did move Nemo Leibold to second. Buck Weaver followed with a single, the first of his two hits on the afternoon. But Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch were retired by Hod Eller, and that was pretty much it for Chicago as far as their offence was concerned.

A 1-2-3 third saw Eller retire the side and Eddie Collins was one of the victims. Collins flied out as part of a 1-2-3 last of the sixth. It was just like that all day it seemed. Now, the White Sox had their backs to the wall.

And Cincinnati, back home, wasted little time in getting to Dick Kerr. There would be no shutout for the game three winner this time around. In fact, it was 4-0 for the Reds after four.

Collins did pick up an RBI, but only by flying out to centre with one away in the top of the fifth. Chicago ran themselves out of a potentially big inning when Kerr ran towards second after the catch in centre by Edd Roush. Ray Schalk had stayed there instead of advancing to third.

The good news is that Dickie Kerr settled down. Though he gave up eleven hits, the White Sox prevailed in ten innings. It was a bit of a fluke, as Chick Gandil drove in the winning run with a bouncer that made it to centre. All the Reds had to do was play the infield back and that wouldn't have happened.

Collins finished game six 0-4, having been retired all five times up. You want to know what his batting average was at this point? Try .091 (2-22). The series was on, but Chicago really needed to get going. Eddie Collins needed to get going!

Slim Sallee was back on the mound for Cincinnati. The home team didn't want to lose this game, yet played it as if they did. By the end of this contest, they'd committed four errors. The White Sox only made one despite the lack of efforts by several players.

That error was by Collins! But other than that, he did break out of his slump. Sallee was the right pitcher for him and his teammates. They'd gotten ten hits of Slim Sallee in game two, despite losing. In the 1917 World Series, Chicago hammered Sallee for 20 hits in only 15 1/3 innings.|

Here, Slim lasted just 4 2/3 innings of this seventh tilt. Eddie Cicotte was still trying to redeem himself from his previous two outings (Although, Eddie had allowed no earned runs in taking the loss in the fourth contest). Cicotte had given up 23 hits in as many innings in the 1917 Fall Classic despite a fine 1.57 earned run average.

Here, Cicotte gave up seven hits and three walks. So he wasn't that great. He was eventually thrown out of baseball for his role in fixing the 1919 World Series. His team appeared to be trying in this game. Shano Collins got it all started in the first by singling to centre. Shano, it should be noted, was not related to Eddie Collins. But Eddie nonetheless bunted him into scoring position with a 1-0 count. Buck Weaver flew out to centre, with Shano holding the fort at second. Joe Jackson drove home Collins with a single of his own.

The very first Cincinnati batter, Morrie Rath (Eddie Collins' counterpart at second on the Reds) reached via an error by the Chicago second basemen. Don't worry, Eddie Collins watched as the next three batters made three outs. Off the hook!

So in the third, both the Collins singled. Alas, Weaver hit a liner that erased himself and Eddie Collins. Shano Collins would score on another single by Shoeless Joe. It was 2-0 for the visitors as Crosley Field. Then came a series of bad fielding plays by the home team in the top of the fifth.

It was still 2-0 for Chicago. Shano Collins was retired to start the frame. But, Eddie Collins singled. Buck Weaver reached on an error by shortstop Larry Koft. Joe Jackson got what was originally scored a hit, but later changed to an error by Morrie Rath as the ball struck the second basemen's ankle! Hey, Eddie Collins had company in the error department by second basemen. But, that error by Rath was worse, because the Pale Hose made 'em pay.

Happy Felsch followed all this carnage with a two-run single. Both Collins and Weaver scored. Unearned. Slim Salle hit the showers. In 4 1/3 innings, he'd allowed nine hits and four runs. But only two of those tallies were earned. Oh, you want to know 

Both the Collins singled in the top of the third. Ray Fisher, who'd pitched well in a losing cause for Cincinnati in game three, got the Reds out that fifth without further damage. But in the sixth, against the third Reds' pitcher, Dolph Luque, it looked like the White Sox would continue to be a most unwelcome guest of Crosley Field.

For with two away, Shano Collins doubled. Both the Collins' were weaving their magic wands this afternoon. The other Collins, Eddie,  couldn't keep the innings going. Luque got him on strikes. Ivey Wingo, the Cincinnati catcher (He had quite a game. 1-1, with three walks) picked up the ball he couldn't handle and first to first for the "K, 2-3".

Dolph Luque finished the game as unhittable as Slim Sallee had been hittable. The Pale Hose got just one hit off him in four frames. Eddie Collins, Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch had two hits of Sallee, but none of Luque.

In any event, the 4-1 win by the White Sox sent this thing back to Chicago. Cincinnati was still up, but only 4-3. But they had no intentions of losing three straight. The routed the White Sox starter Lefty Williams. It was 4-0 after half an innings.

Eddie Collins and company tried to get at least one run back their first time up. Nemo Leibold singled to left of a suddenly hittable Hod Eller. Eddie Collins followed with a double. Okay! However, Buck Weaver looked at a called strike three. Joe Jackson popped out behind third, with shortstop Larry Koft making a fine play with along the fence in left. The play itself should have scored Leibold at third, as it was hit well back behind the bag. But some reason that has never been explained, Nemo held, ninety feet away from getting the White Sox as run back. When Happy Felsch fanned, a potential big inning was over for the home team. Without scoring once.

And by the time Chicago finally touched home (Via a Joe Jackson home run), it was already 5-0 for Cincinnati. Eddie Collins was retired his second and third trip up.

Worse still, by the time he batted in the eighth, it was 10-1, Cincinnati. Hod Eller was working on a a fine five-hitter. Nemo Leibold flied out. But then it was Eddie Collins that got the ball rolling on a big inning. He singled. Buck Weaver doubled this time up. When Jackson followed with one of his own, Collins and Weaver scored. The inning then stalled as Happy Felsch popped up to first basemen Jake Daubert. Chick Gandil hit one to right field. It was there that right fielder Greasy Neale was blinded by the sun. So instead of catching it, the ball went for a triple. Swede Risberg hit one to Edd Roush in short centre. But Roush couldn't come up with it. The error scored Gandil. Chicago had four runs on four hits and some poor defence. Though Ray Schalk was retired to end the frame, it guaranteed another time up for Eddie Collins, who had himself a 2-4 afternoon.

Roy Wilkinson had allowed just two runs over four innings of work for Chicago. And after a nice ninth, he was due up first in the bottom of the frame. But it was Eddie Murphy that batted for him. Hod Eller, now up to nine hits allowed, was giving it his all. The home team was seeing his pitches. However, he sort of shot himself in the foot by walking Murphy. Nemo Leibold hit one to centre. This time, Roush made an excellent snare. Eddie Collins was back up. Time for hit number three! His single to right sent Murphy to third. The White Sox looked ready to tack on another run or two and make this slugfest interesting. Buck Weaver was up. He sent one to Greasy Neal in right. But with two outs and Joe Jackson up, Collins had a trick up his sleeve.

You see, Eddie hadn't stolen a base yet. But in doing so right here, Shoeless Joe had man on second and third. If the ball gets out of the infield, it's 10-7. But Jackson grounded out to Morrie Rath.

Eddie Collins finished the 1919 World Series hitting only .226. And he'd made two errors. It was not too unlike his performance five years later at this stage. He got only one RBI and one stolen base. The eight guilty Black Sox players would be thrown out of baseball after the 1920 season. Collins went on to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.


References


Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball at It's Best. Doubleday, 1994. 

Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? McFarland, 2001. (Kindle edition)

Enders, Eric. 100 Years of the World Series: 1903-2004. Sterling Publishing c/o Canadian Manda Group, 2005. 

Foutain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. OXFORD University Press, 2017.

Freedman, Lew. Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch. Sports Publishing, 2015. 

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Taylor Publishing Company, 1992. 

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain't So, Joe!: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson. Canadian Manda Group, 1992. 

Halfon, Mark S. Tales From the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Potomac Books, 2014.

Hornbaker, Tim. Fall From Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. Sports Publishing, 2016. 

Kepner, Tyler. K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches. Anchor Books, 2020.

Mallon, Douglas. The World Series. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. 

Morissey, Scott. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed., Pandamonium Publishing House, 2020. 

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. 12th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1992. 

--- The World Series: Complete Play-by-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 5th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1990. 

Nemec, David, et al. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's ed., Publications International, Ltd., 1993.

Society for American Baseball Research, Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org. 22 Feb. 2021.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 22 Feb. 2021.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com. 22 Feb. 2021.

Common Denominator: Hod Eller

"Threw a no-hitter, nearly had an emaculate inning, fanned six straight batters in one World Series contest."

Cincinnati Reds' pitcher Hod Eller had a very short career, and is seldom remembered today, except when baseball fans talks about the 1919 World Series. Eller twice beat the Chicago White Sox in that Fall Classic, which saw eight members of the beaten team banished for life.

Eller himself had exactly 100 decisions in the regular season (60-40) and was good enough to win 19 of those in the '19 regular season. Eller used the "Shine ball" which meant he applied a foreign substance to the ball. This was forbiddon after the 1920 season. It should be noted, the "Spitball", which meant applying some throat moisturizer to the baseball, was permitted for some pitchers.

Still a teenager in 1913, Hod Eller was a pro baseball pitcher. His first year in organized professional baseball saw him go 15-10 for the Champaign Velvets of the Illinois-Missouri League ("D" level). The 18-year old allowed just 2.49 runs per nine.

The Velvets won the pennant that season, and Eller continued to pitch well in 1914. Eller added another seventeen wins to his name that year with Danville / Moline. The right-handed side-armer had advanced to "B" level with the Plowboys and posted an earned run average of just 2.25. His ERA may have climbed a bit the next season (1915) to 2.39, but so did his win total (19). He was too good for the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. When would major league baseball give him a call?

1916 was a setback for Hod. First, he went to spring training and worked out with the Chicago White Sox. Was Eller finally ready for the bigs. The White Sox didn't think so, and he did not make the team. His year ended on a bad note as, back with Moline, Eller had a disagreement over his contract home August. He left the team and played in the semipros the rest of the campaign.

But as frustrating as 1916 was, 1917 made up for it. Hod had caught the attention of the Cincinnati Reds with his efforts in the semis late in the '16 season. It was their manager, Christy Matthewson, who took notice in Hod Eller and this led to the righty being drafted by the big-league club in September. A contract was signed the next January

It was Eller's misfortune that his soon-to-be prized pitch had a limited shelf line. The American Associating had banned the shiner in 1917 and the big leagues were said to be about to. All Eller did was got 10-5 as a National League rookie with a fine 2.36 earned run average for Cincinnati. Hod proved to be durable, as his 21 complete games topped all hurlers in the Senior Circuit.

From everything I've read, this workload had nothing to do with the fact that Hod, whose given name was actually Horace, was out of organized baseball after the 1924 season. Perhaps, though, Eller ended up relying on his prized pitch too much.

But at this point, Hod was looking like a terrific pitcher. He'd learned the shiner in an August game. Plus, Eller was doing well no matter what Cincinnati asked of him. Relieve? The rookie started the season with sixteen straight appearances out of the Reds' bullpen, finishing thirteen of them. Sure, Hod Eller had some rough outings, but by his sixteenth appearance, his earned run average was very good, (2.97). He'd picked up his first save on June the ninth. And from there, it was time to start. Two days later, Hod went all nine, allowed just four hits, and beat Brooklyn, 3-2. On the nineteen of June, he started both games in a doubleheader vs. Chicago and split 'em.

The relief outings earlier in the season saw him have little impact on the fortunes of Cincinnati, but as a starter, Eller really took off. It was during the game vs. New York on August 21st that he'd not only discovered the shineball, but really wowed 'em. Back in the bullpen, fate came calling Hod's name in the last of the fourth. Starter Mike Regan could go no further than 3 2/3. The inning ended with the Giants up on the Reds 5-4. But from here, Eller had seen his advantage up close. The ball had become dirty. Deciding to do a little experimenting, Hod wiped just one side of the mud off...And kept the stuff on the other side.

The result was a 7-5 Cincinnati Reds' win. But more importantly, was Eller's performance. He went 5 1/3 innings, beat a future teammate in Slim Sallee 7-5, and was awesome in the ninth. The ball was doing some dancing. After giving up a hit to the leadoff batter (And with the tying run at the dish), Hod threw nothing but strikes from there. Three pitches later, Hod had a K. Three more pitches, another. Three more, game over. It had been a brilliant outing. Put in perspective, Regan and Sallee had combined for five strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings pitched. Eller, with his prized pitch doing amazing things, ended the day with six.

Well, Slim Sallee and his New York Giants went on to the World Series, where the Chicago White Sox beat 'em in six games. Did Eller feel like he should have been on Chicago? I'm not sure. But soon, Sallee and Eller would be on Cincinnati and quite a combo.

But not in 1918. Hod Eller would have to wait a year before the excellent Giants' pitcher was a Red. Hod won sixteen games in '18 and kept his earned run average at what it'd been the year before, 2.36. Cincinnati finished the year eight games above .500, but it was the Chicago Cubs that went to the Fall Classic. There, they lost to the Boston Red Sox.

Slim Sallee joined Cincinnati in 1919. Now, the Reds were in business. Sallee led the team with 21 victories and was second on the team in ERA (2.06). Second? Barely, believe it or not. Dutch Reuther topped everyone on the team with an earned run average of just 1.82. Dutch won nineteen games and led the National League in winning percentage, .760. He was pretty much a winner from then on until his 1927 retirement.

Eller won 19 games himself, posting an ERA of just 2.39. It was sort of easy to forget about Hod that year. Or maybe not. May 11th of that season saw him allow not one hit in beating the St. Louis Cardinals with a complete game. The no-no was a huge feather in Hod's cap. It was also the very first no-hitter at Redland Field. But the team seemed loaded with pitchers. Jimmy Ring only 10-9 but his earned run average was just 2.26. Ray Fisher was even better: 14-5 with an ERA of just 2.17!

So, in other words, this team had pitching. The Reds were on their way to the World Series. Opposing them in the 1919 October Classic were the Chicago White Sox. The Sox had some pretty good pitching, too. Ed Cicotte won 29 games. Claude "Lefty" Williams won 23. From there, though, the team had a bit of a handicap. Red Faber was hurt and would miss the entire Fall Classic. I'm not sure he would have pitched much, considering his 11-9 record with a 3.83 earned run average. Dickie Kerr was 13-7 with a 2.88 ERA.

The White Sox hitters were pretty good, too. The best was left fielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, who hit .351 that season. Eddie Collins always hit well in the Fall Classic, and had hit .319. Third basemen Buck Weaver and first basemen Chick Gandil nearly hit .300 themselves, while the forgotten man on the team was Nemo Leibold. But Leibold hit .302. Plus, off the bench were subs Fred McMullin (.294) and Eddie Murphy (.486 in just 27 games).

It was Cincinnati that took game one at home in a laugher, 9-1. The second contest, which was also played at Redland Field, was closer. The home team won it 4-2 despite getting outhit 10-4. At this point, though, it would seem unlikely that Hod Eller was going to get used at all in this World Series.

You see, the visitors had scored not a single run. Better still, game three was on the road, but Dickie Kerr would pitch. The series, it should be notes, was best-of-nine, but a win in the next game would pretty much put it out of reach of the American League team.

Ray Fisher went out and held Chicago to just seven hits and two earned runs over seven innings. Dolph Luque had a 1-2-3 bottom of the eight and fanned one. Kerr was better: A three-hit shutout!

Okay, so Jimmy Ring got a crucial road win in the important game four. He shutout the White Sox on just three hits (By Jackson, Gandil and Oscar "Happy" Felsch). The Reds got only five hits themselves off Eddie Cicotte, but came away with a 2-0 win.

Game five would also be paramount for Cincinnati. A win here, and game six would be back home with a chance to clinch. If not, the seventh contest was also at home.

Well, it was time for Hod Eller to shine. Lefty Williams gave up four hits over eight inning. Erskine Mayer relieved him and did not allow a hit in the ninth. The Reds though, got a run off Erskine, and four more off Lefty earlier. 

But how about Eller?

The White Sox went down 1-2-3 in the second frame. Hod fanned Chick Gandil, Swede Risberg and Ray Schalk in succession. The next inning, Eller would whiff his mound adversary, then Nemo Leibold and Eddie Collins in succession. Six strikeouts in a row. A World Series record (Equaled only twice since).

Hod Eller ended the game with a three-hitter of his own. A shutout. And nine K's. The White Sox, though, sort of shot themselves in the foot with a bad sixth inning. Eller himself got it all going with a leadoff double to the gap that neither Jackson nor Felsch could get to. Happy made a bad throw back to the infield and you had the pitcher ninety feet away from the dish. A single by Morrie Rath gave Hod all the offence he needed. A bunt and a walk put two on with one away. Felsch then couldn't get a clean hold on a deep drive to centre by Edd Roush . He did recover it, and fired home quickly enough that catcher Ray Schalk appeared to have gotten Heinie Groh after Rath had scored. The umpire called both runners safe to make it 3-0 for the home team. Pat Duncan flied to Jackson in left. Roush, who'd been credited with a triple on the previous play, tagged and headed to home. I've read two accounts of the play at the dish. Ray Schalk had been mad at the call on Groh and been ejected. So it was Byrd Lynn, catching for Chicago. Either the ball took a bad hop and / or Lynn didn't handle it right. The run scored in any event to make it a 4-0 game.

With the win, it appeared the Fall Classic was over and Hod Eller could rest for the winter. However, back home for game six, Cincinnati lost a heartbreaker, 5-4 in ten innings (Chicago overcame two errors by shortstop Swede Risberg and another by Happy Felsch that enabled Pat Duncan to make it to third in the bottom of the fifth). The home team been up 4-0 after four. In the next contest, it was Eddie Cicotte, posting a road win for the White Sox, who won 4-1. The Reds had fielded poorly in this contest, making four errors. Slim Sallee, who'd overcome ten hits allowed in game two, gave up nine in only 4 1/3 this time out. He'd struggled against the Chicago White Sox in the Fall Classic two years earlier as a member of the New York Giants, and it continued here. The teams would head back to Chicago for game six at Comisky Park.

So Eller got the ball. And by the time Chicago batted in the last of the first, it was 4-0 Cincinnati. Lefty Williams had retired the leadoff batter in the top of the first, but no one else. Early shower for Williams. The White Sox them put the first two men on. Actually, both Nemo Leibold and Shano Collins were in scoring positing. Hod had to bear down. He fanned Buck Weaver. Joe Jackson flied out behind third. The catch itself was a fine one by shortstop Larry Koft nearly in the stands, but the end result should have been the home team getting on the board.

Nemo Leibold, for reasons that have never been explained, held. This was crucial as it allowed Hod Eller (Who then fanned Happy Felsch on his second K of the frame and eleventh overall in the World Series) to get outta there. The Reds tacked on another run the next frame, only to see the home team appear to have still another rally going. A walk and a single (After catcher Bill Rariden made an error on Ray Schalk's pop-up behind the plate) put two on with one away. Hod Eller had to dig deep again. He got new pitcher Bill James to pop out to third. He then fanned Leibold for his third strikeout on the afternoon.

The home team got on a the board in the next inning as Shoeless Joe Jackson took Hod out of the park. There was no one on so the scored was still 5-1 for Cincy. Still, it seemed like Chicago was doing much better than the fifth contest which they'd been baffled by Eller. They were up to four hits (Plus a walk) in just three innings.

Hod took one for the team as he was hit by a Bill James pitch in the top of the fourth. He did not score and Cincinnati put a "0" on the scoreboard for the second straight frame. Hod continued to rack up the K's, getting his fourth in the bottom of the frame (A 1-2-3 one at that!) by fanning Swede Risberg.

And, offence was on the way. Cincinnati scored a run in the fifth to regain their five-run lead. With two away, Larry Koft tripled. Greasy Neale followed with a  single.

Better still for Hod Eller, he was settlin' down as he retired Chicago in order in the last of the fifth. His mound opponent, Bill James, fanned.

Hod's leadoff single in the top of the sixth eventually led to three more runs. Now, the contest looked not only over, but like a repeat of game one. The 9-1 lead would widen, however. The White Sox got their fifth hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth as Buck Weaver singled to start it. But Shoeless Joe flied to centre. So did Happy Felsch. The inning ended as Chick Gandil also flied out, but to right.

The bottom of the inning was uneventful as Eller was pitching well. Through seven, he was working a fine five-hitter and up to six strikeouts. Fifteen K's in all in only sixteen frames.

And his team reached double figures in the top of the eighth as his battery mate Bill Rairden singled home a tenth Cincinnati run. The game was really looking over. But Hod started to falter in his part of that inning.

It started innocently enough. Nemo Leibold was retired, but it was a long fly to right that Greasy Neal caught. Eddie Collins singled, his second hit of the game. Buck Weaver doubled. So did Shoeless Joe Jackson. Jackson's double made it 10-3, but Cincinnati was still in control. However, the White Sox now were up to eight hits in just 7 1/3 innings of Eller. Had the game been played today, there would be no way Hod would still be pitching. Still, it looked like that'd be all Chicago would get.

Happy Felsch was retired on a pop-up to first basemen Jake Daubert. Now, the Reds' pitcher seemed to be home-free. Chick Gandil was next. He'd gotten his share of RBIs in the series (Four at this point), but they'd sort of been not legit. He'd singled home the only Chicago tally of game one. Did that matter? It tied the score early, but it was Cincinnati that scored eight runs. Gandil's two runs knocked home in game three should not have happened. A sac bunt attempt by Happy Felsch had been poorly fielded by Ray Fisher, who'd tried to nail Shoeless Joe at second for a force. Instead, the ball went into centre field. Both runners advanced into scoring position. Gandil scored them both with a single. Chick had also gotten an RBI in game six on a bouncer that made it through to centre, only because the infield wasn't playing back.

So here Gandil was, without a single extra-base hit and four runs driven home. This was also his last major league game. In what turned out to be his last big-league plate appearance, he lofted one to centre. The sun blinded right fielder Greasy Neal. So Chick ended up on third with an RBI triple. The White Sox added another, and again it should not have scored. Swede Risberg got under it and sent it to centre, where Edd Roush couldn't come up with it. The error allowed Gandil to score. The home team had four runs in an inning where they should have had only two. The good news for Eller and the Reds was it was still 10-5 for them. But the Cincinnati pitched had now allowed nine runs in just 7 2/3 innings. The inning finally ended as Ray Schalk grounded out to second.

The Reds tried to get a run or two back in the top of the ninth. Morrie Rath singled off Roy Wilkinson, the third White Sox pitcher of game eight. But Roy got Jake Daubert out on a sac bunt. Heinie Groh flied out to Felsch in centre. Edd Roush grounded out to Buck Weaver at third.

Eller needed just three more outs to open the champagne. But his stuff hadn't been his stuff from innings four to seven. It was more like innings one to three plus eight. He actually hit pinch hitter Eddie Murphy, who was batting for Roy Wilkinson to start the bottom of the ninth. Nemo Leibold gave it a ride to centre, but that's where Edd Roush redeemed himself from last inning with a dive...And a catch!

But Eddie Collins then collected his third hit to push Chicago's total to ten. Buck Weaver hit it well to right. Neale made the catch this time, but the ball was hit deep enough to get Murphy to third. With Jackson back up (2-4, 2 runs scored and 3 more driven in), Collins decided to make it easier for him by stealing second. Two more runners in scoring position for Shoeless Joe. However, Eller finally ended this game by getting Jackson to ground out to second basemen Morrie Rath.

Hod Eller ended up topping every hurler with fifteen strikeouts in the 1919 World Series. He joined White Sox Dickie Kerr with a 2-0 record. His earned run average was just 2.00, but that was third on the Reds to Jimmy Ring's incredible 0.64, and Slim Sallee's excellent 1.35. However, judging from Sallee's performance in this and the 1917 Fall Classic vs. Chicago, I'm sure the White Sox would much rather have faced him than Hod Eller. Another pitcher with a better ERA than Eller was Kerr, 1.42.

All this, plus Hod's 19 regular season wins seemed to bode well for a long career by the Cincinnati. Although only 24 years old, Eller was 45-26 with a 2.37 earned run average in just three not-quite full major league seasons. He'd started off real well.

But Hod's 1920 season was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, he'd thirteen. Sure'd Eller posted a 2.95 earned run average. But the the powers to be had banned use of the shineball prior to the star of the season. So this effected his performance. The kid from Muncie was a win one, lose one pitcher that in '20 as he was beaten a dozen times against those thirteen wins. His ERA had risen, as you can see. Plus, he went from seven shutouts in 1919 to just one the next year.

And things didn't get any better come 1921. Hod Eller was out of shape. Not long after the season got underway, Cincinnati suspended their once-great pitcher for that. Eller's season with Cincinnati didn't start until May 30th, and it wasn't good. The St. Louis Cardinals touched him up for three earned runs in only 3 1/3 innings of a relief stint. Sure, he'd start some games (Not until late June), but things just weren't the same for Hod without the shiner.

In winning back-to-back starts in July, our boy was hit hard. And with that, Eller was back where it had begun this season, or just like it had begun back in 1917 with the Reds: Bullpen duty!

And there, Hod actually pitched well. The problem was, just like in '17, he was basically used for mopping up after the starter had been knocked out. It must have been frustrating for Eller, as he did an admirable job of keeping Cincy in games. From August 21st to his sole appearance in September (On the 15th), Hod Eller pitched 7 2/3 innings of stellar relief. His earned run average during this span was 0.00 (Two unearned runs allowed, however). The opposition hit .148 against him. There appeared to be hope that his career could be saved.

Furthermore, Hod Eller was only 26, and had upped his career win total to sixty, against just forty losses. But Hod's September 15th appearance for the Reds was his last in the majors. That December, Cincinnati traded him to the Pacific Coast League's Oakland Oaks ("AA" level).

Just like in 1921, Hod's earned run average was not good (It had been 4.98 with Cincinnati, and now 4.67 with Oakland). And with a 6-10 record, there'd be no return to the bigs. Instead, Hod found himself for sale to the Mobile Bears. So now, three years after being a World Series star, Hod Eller was stuck in the Southern Association.

It was with Mobile that his form did not improve. So, four games later, the Bears released him. Hod then got a dream job. He signed on with Mount Sterling. Not only would he be pitching, but Hod would be calling the shots. He was also the team's manager. The former Red went 3-2, allowing just 2.57 runs per nine in thirteen appearances with his new team of the Blue Grass League ("D" level). For some reason, no one appeared to take any interest in Eller at this point for a potential return to the majors. He was still only 28.

Eller carried on the player-manager role with the Mount Sterling Essex for two more seasons. In 1924, he was a bit of a hard-luck (That symbolized his career, right?) pitcher. Although only 3-6, his earned run average was 3.33 in 31 appearances with . Again, Hod Eller still had it. Now in his 30s, the former Cincinnati Red was ready for a career change. Being in charge from the dugout was one thing, being in charge of the law, was another.

So Hod retired from baseball. But when one door closed, another opened. Eller became a police officer that November. Fitting since he hadn't exactly been happy with the rule changes on his great pitch, but now would be enforcing fair rules out there. Twenty-two years later, Eller was ready for more challenges. In his his mid-fifties, the former Cincy righty became a security guard and truck driver. It seemed like he could make a smooth transition from one job to the next. Alas, in 1961 (The year the Cincinnati Reds lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series), he passed away from cancer, aged 67 years.


References

Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball at It's Best. Doubleday, 1994. 

Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? McFarland, 2001. (Kindle edition)

Enders, Eric. 100 Years of the World Series: 1903-2004. Sterling Publishing c/o Canadian Manda Group, 2005. 

Foutain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. OXFORD University Press, 2017.

Freedman, Lew. Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch. Sports Publishing, 2015. 

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Taylor Publishing Company, 1992. 

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain't So, Joe! Canadian Manda Group, 1992. 

Halfon, Mark S. Tales From the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Potomac Books, 2014.

Hornbaker, Tim. Fall From Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. Sports Publishing, 2016. 

Kepner, Tyler. K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches. Anchor Books, 2020.

Mallon, Douglas. The World Series. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. 

Morissey, Scott. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed., Pandamonium Publishing House, 2020. 

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. 12th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1992. 

--- The World Series: Complete Play-by-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 5th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1990. 

Nemec, David, et al. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's ed., Publications International, Ltd., 1993.

Rice, Steven V. “Hod Eller.” Society for American Baseball Research, Society for American Baseball Research, 5 Sept. 2014, sabr.org/bioproj/person/hod-eller/. 25 Jan. 2021.

Society for American Baseball Research, Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org. 25 Jan. 2021.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 25 Jan. 2021.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com. 25 Jan. 2021.

Steinberg, Steve. “Baseball History (Article Reproduced From THE LITERARY DIGEST, September 18, 1920).” SteveSteinberg.net, Steve Steinberg, www.stevesteinberg.net/baseball_history/ the_spitball/ articles_on_the_spitter/HodEller.asp. 25 Jan. 2021.

Common Denominator: Jackson, Collins and Rath

"Played on the 1909 Philadelphia Athletics and participated in the 1919 World Series."

That would be Eddie Collins, Morrie Rath and Shoeless Joe Jackson. Exactly a decade before that famous (Or infamous) Fall Classic, these three players were all under the watchful eye of a legendary dugout figure, Connie Mack.

Mack's team was a bridesmate to the Detroit Tigers in the late 1900s. Ty Cobb, the huge star of the Bengals, had no equal with the stick when he joined Detroit in 1905. Two years later, the Tigers won the first of three straight pennants. It should be noted, however, that Cobb's team got there comeuppance in the World Series all three years. Remarkably enough, Ty would never return to the Fall Classic, despite carrying on in the bigs until 1928.

Joe Jackson actually would drink champagne with Eddie Collins in 1917. It was not, however with the Athletics. Connie Mack's team did win pennants in 1902 (The year before the first-ever Fall Classic), 1905, but had to wait until 1910 to go all the way. Philadelphia beat the Chicago Cubs in just five games in the Fall Classic in '10, then repeated over the New York Giants the next season (This time though, it took the Athletics six contests to prevail over the stubborn Giants). Collins was there for each.

And it's not like Eddie wasn't a major contributor!

Collins hit .429 in his first Fall Classic against Chicago, getting three hits alone in both the second and fifth contest. 1911 was a comedown, alas. After four games, the second basemen was again at the .429 mark, but was 0-7 in the last two contests vs. New York, dropping Eddie's average to just .286.

In the rematch two years later, it took the Athletics just five games to get rid of the New York Giants (And that meant John McGraws' boys had equaled what Detroit had done a few years earlier: Lose three straight World Series). Collins was back to being clutch: .409, 8 hits and 3 RBI!|

Philadelphia was shocked in 1914, falling to the Boston Braves. And it was a sweep. Collins could do nothing, hitting just .214, collecting just three hits and a single RBI.

But Eddie had another World Series against the New York Giants before the decade was over, and he did not disappoint!

As was the case in 1911, it went six games. And there were some negative moments for his new team, the Chicago White Sox. In the regular season, they'd been no-hit back-to-back days by the lowly St. Louis Browns. Then, after taking the first two contests at home vs. the Giants in the October Classic, the Giants clawed back. Game three went to New York at the Polo Grounds via a shutout. So did game four. Collins made sure to stop the bleeding in the fifth contest. By collecting three hits, he helped the Pale Hose to an 8-5 win. Though the Giants hoped to keep the series going with a win in the sixth game back home, it was Chicago that stormed onto the Polo Grounds following a series-clinching 4-2 triumph!|

There was one final Fall Classic for Eddie Collins, and the result was not good from a personal or team standpoint. First, the White Sox lost the Cincinnati Reds five games to three in 1919. Worse still, eight members of the team (Not Eddie Collins) were suspected or proven to have thrown games in the World Series that season. Collins didn't help with his bat, he hit only .226 with one RBI and two errors. Eddie did collect five hits and hit .556 and score twice in games seven and eight (Including a three hit game in the last contest), but it was a little too late.

Collins' teammate on the 1919 Chicago White Sox, Shoeless Joe Jackson, is always one of the central figures in that World Series. Was he in on the fix? Did his teammate Claude "Lefty" Williams merely use his name as a means of strengthening the fixers deal with the gamblers? Did Jackson go along willingly? No one really knows for sure. What is know is that Jackson was promised $20,000 for his participation in the fix, but only ended up getting $5,000 of it. He later swore in a grand jury testimony that he'd tried his best at all times in the 1919 October Showdown.

But what I know for sure is Jackson didn't get a hit in the first game vs. the Reds. The first contest was all Cincinnati, who won it easily, 9-1. Joe did reach on an error by shortstop Larry Koft in the second inning. Ironically, the man who drove Jackson home was none other than Chick Gandil, the ringleader of the fix.

In game two, Jackson did much better. But was he trying when it counted? Well, he doubled to start the top of the second. Happy Felsch, in on the fix, bunted him to third. But that's where Joe Jackson died as Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg (Still another member of the fix) failed to deliver.

Buck Weaver, who attended two meeting with the players and gamblers, but took no money, singled to start the fourth. The contest was still scoreless at this point. Joe came through again as he singled. Amazingly enough, both hits were on the very first pitch. They were seeing 'em to their liking! A promising inning? Felsch got 'em both into scoring position despite being in on the fix. The sacrifice bunt (And yes, it was on the first pitch to Happy) gave Gandil, who had the team's only RBI in the previous contest, a chance to pick up two more. Chick swung on the first pitch, grounding to first. Jake Daubert, the Cincinnati first basemen, saw Weaver going home and got him out by about twelve feet. Gandil, perhaps feeling like he had to "prove" to everyone he was actually trying, stole second as Risberg batted. Swede himself now had runners on second and third. On a full count, Risberg popped towards right. Daubert went back to the outfield and made the catch.

The Reds broke the deadlock in the bottom of the frame by plating three runners. This, as it turns out, was all the offence they needed. The Sox sure looked like they'd score 101 runs in the contest themselves. When it was over, Chicago had ten hits. Three by Jackson alone. The Reds? They'd have to settle for just four hits.

Weaver doubled with one away in the top of the sixth. Here's where Jackson was needed to deliver. He didn't. It took Cincinnati pitcher Slim Sallee just three pitches to fan Shoeless Joe. It appeared Chicago was going to score anyways as Felsch, not trying to sacrifice with two outs of course, lined one to centre that appeared to be a hit. Edd Roush made a great catch to stop that.

It was only with the score 4-0 that the Pale Hose finally got on the board. Risberg and Ray Schalk singled with one out. The Reds weren't exactly at their best fielding-wise on this day (Had they been watching Chicago? Ironically, Cincinnati had three miscues in this contest to Chicago's one) and Schalk scored behind Risberg as the defence of the National League champs went south. So the lead was sliced in half.

The home team would not score again. But how about the visitors? Our boy came up with two away in the top of the eighth and hit to first. Jake Daubert made the stop, and tossed to pitcher Slim Sallee who was scampering to first. But a tad late. The toss was wide, and went to the screen along the fans in right. Joe didn't stop at first as this Reds' error got Joe Jackson into scoring position. It was scored a hit and an error by Daubert. Felsch ripped into a pitch, but third basemen Heinie Groh managed to get his glove on it, keeping it in the infield. Not cleanly. Groth merely knocked the ball down. His throw to first got Felsch.

The White Sox got two more men on in the top of the ninth before the last out was made. The 4-2 loss sent the series to Chicago.

Back home at Comisky Park, the home team appeared to be trying. But not all the time. Jackson led off the last of the second and singled on...You guessed it, the first pitch. It was time for another Cincinnati error as Felsch bunted again. Only this time, Happy didn't bunt well. On what should have been at least a force at second, it was Cincinnati pitcher Ray Fisher got the ball and tried to force Jackson at second. The ball ended up in centre field. Another RBI opportunity for Chick Gandil. Well, two men were in scoring position again. This time, Chick came through. The visitors moved their infield in. Gandil singled to right. Jackson scored, and so did Felsch. Three RBIs in three games for the ring leader of the fix. The rest of the Chicago White Sox had none so far in the 1919 World Series.

But it was later in the inning that Gandil sort of slowly jogged into third on a force play. Swede Risberg had walked and there two runs in and two more runners on. A potential big inning ended with just two runs. Had Gandil, by getting nailed at third, deliberately stopped the home team from getting more runs.

It didn't actually matter. Chicago picked up a third run in the bottom of the fourth. Swede Risberg tripled and Ray Schalk singled. The inning before had been promising. First and second for Shoeless Joe. Jackson tried to bunt with nobody out but failed to get the runners over. The White Sox failed to score in the third. Same thing in the sixth.

That was a bad inning for Chicago. Jackson had gotten his second hit, and fifth in two games to start the bottom of the frame. But get this: Joe was caught stealing! Happy Felsch walked. And then, he too, was nailed at second trying to swipe the bag.

Jackson didn't bat again that contest. Two hits, but he'd failed twice with the stick. The White Sox won 3-0, but still, you had to wonder.

Jackson continued to hit well in game four. He hit a short flare to centre that no outfielder could get to. Joe didn't stop at first and made it to second. His second double of the World Series. Happy Felsch tried to bunt again, but did so correctly. Joe was now 90 feet away from scoring the first run of the game. And there was just one away.

Gandil failed to deliver, and the Reds needed just another out to get out of this mess. Swede Risberg didn't get a hit, but walked. Swede appeared to then show Joe and Happy how to steal a base when swiped second on a 2-0 pitch to Ray Schalk. Jimmy Ring, the Cincinnati pitcher, was behind 3-0 to Schalk as his control wasn't there. It wasn't on the next pitch as it was ball four to Ray. The bases were now loaded. Pitcher Eddie Cicotte, who apparently pocketed all the money that was promised him as part of the fix, failed to deliver, and Chicago left the bases full.

Jackson came up again in the 0-0 contest in the third. Eddie Collins was on first, having been hit by a pitch. Ring still didn't have it all there. There were two outs and the Reds were trying to get out this inning. The way their pitcher was throwing made you wonder how much longer he'd be out there.  Joe hit a grounder to Morrie Rath at second. However, instead of the inning being over, the Reds' second basemen couldn't come up with it. Well, runners on the corner, two out, Happy Felsch at the dish. Felsch grounded out to third.

It was in the fifth that Cincinnati scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. Cicotte made an error to put a man on with one away. So with Pat Duncan on first, Larry Koft singled to left. Joe Jackson came up with the ball, and gunned it towards home. Cicotte deflected the throw away from catcher Ray Schalk. The pitcher's second error of the game not only allowed Duncan to score, but made it obvious Eddie wasn't trying. A double by Greasy Neal to left scored Koft.

Jackson didn't get a hit the rest of the contest. It is worth noting that Chicago got three hits in the game. Jackson, Felsch and Gandil came up with them.

But neither Shoeless Joe, Happy Felsch or Chick Gandil got a hit in the fifth contest, which Cincinnati won, 5-0. Chicago was again limited to just three hits. The series was best-of-nine, so the National League pennant winners of 1919 needed just one more win.

And they took a 4-0 lead at home in the sixth game. And looking at this contest, it seemed like a repeat of the previous two. Chicago made errors (Two by Swede Risberg, alone). And perhaps move obvious, there were plenty of errors with the bat and on the bases by the White Sox, too.

Buck Weaver got on via a single with two away in the top of the first, but all Joe Jackson could do was pop to third. In the fourth, he popped one back behind the dish that didn't quite make it into the bleachers. Instead, it settled into catcher Bill Rariden's mitt.

Well, the home team wanted to wrap it up, and they gave a grand effort to. Morrie Rath only got one hit in five times up, but the rest of the team got ten themselves. It was quite a day against game three winner, Dickie Kerr. The lefty had shut 'em out in that contest. Here, Cincinnati pushed across two runners in the third, and a pair more in the last of the fourth.

Swede Risberg had made two errors. The Reds looked to keep the rally going as Jake Daubert flied to Joe Jackson in left. Our boy not only made a fine catch, but he picked up a 7-2 assist as Rath tried to test Jackson's arm.

It was still 4-0 as the inning ended. The fifth inning was better for Chicago. They finally got a run. An inning later, the Pale Hose scored three more times! Jackson did drive in the run to make it 4-2. Joe singled home Buck Weaver, who'd gotten the rally started with a leadoff double. A doubled by Happy Felsch scored Shoeless Joe.

But from there, Joe had his problems helping. He drew a walk in the top of the eighth, and moved to second on a one-out free pass by Chick Gandil. The rally died as Edd Roush not only robbed Swede Risberg of a hit with a great catch in centre, but nailed Jackson at centre.

The visiting team broke the deadlock in extras. In the top of the tenth, Joe Jackson came up with Buck Weaver on second and bunted him to third. The bunt actually was a single. Chick Gandil came through with a bouncer that made it into centre field. This hit though, was made possible by the fact that the Cincinnati infield wasn't playing back. Weaver scored, of course, and Jackson was on second. A liner by Risberg was caught and then Jackson was caught leaving the bag too soon.

In any event, Chicago had a 5-4 lead. Cincinnati went down 1-2-3 in the last of the tenth as the visitors lived to fight another day. The White Sox actually looked even better in game seven. They had Cincinnati all the way in a 4-1 win. Jackson picked up two RBIs. In fact, Shoeless Joe picked up an RBI in each of his first two trips to the dish. Now...Can this be explained? Remember his 3-4 performances in game two vs. Slim Sallee? Well, Slim was on the hill again in this seventh contest. And...He'd had a history against Chicago.

Before pitching for the Reds, Sallee was on that ill-fated 1917 New York Giants team which lost to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series that year. Ah. Sallee, furthermore, started two games in that Fall Classic, losing both and posting a 5.28 ERA. Two years later, his World Series ERA was much better, 1.35. Shoeless Joe Jackson had been 0-3 in the first game October Classic game that Slim Sallee started in '17. That was actually the very first contest. The next time Sallee took the hill in the World Series that year was game five, and Jackson collected three hits in five at bats.

Okay. So Joe Jackson was 0-3, followed by 3-5, 3-4 and started game seven 2-2 vs Slim Sallee. Joe reached on an error in the fifth to drop his day to 2-3. Happy Felsch singled and scored a run right after, and Sallee was done for the day.

The new pitcher was Cuban Dolph Luque. Dolph retired Jackson the only time he faced him, and had a terrific outing. In 4 1/3 innings pitched, Luque allowed Chicago just one hit, no runs and fanned five. So Joe Jackson liked to face Slim Sallee in the World Series. Remove Sallee and things might not go as bad. Was Dolph a good pitcher? Dolph Luque was quite a relief pitcher at this time. So good, that he'd soon be a starter. Still, fourteen years later, Luque would help the New York Giants win the Fall Classic. With some superb relief pitching!

Now, could that be a reason Jackson and company struggled the rest of the way? They'd gotten nine hits off Slim Sallee in less than five innings. Dolph Luque was no fluke.

Things got off to a great start for Cincinnati in game eight at Comisky Park. They touched home four times in the top of the first. Joe Jackson came up with two on and one out in the last of the frame. Joe did pop out in foul territory. However, the catch itself was made by shortstop Larry Koft far enough behind third that Nemo Leibold, who was 90 feet away from the dish for Chicago, could have scored after. Leibold held for some odd reason, and the rally died as Happy Felsch fanned.

Jackson did hit a home run next time up. But by then it was the third inning and it was 5-0 for Cincinnati. The game was far from over at this point, but the Chicago team seemed unable to stop the Cincinnati Reds from scoring. The round-tripper by Joe was with the bases empty, too. Buck Weaver appeared to have a hit in front of Jackson but was robbed on a great catch by Morrie Rath. Jackson hit the ball well next time up, too. Joe was only able to fly out to Edd Roush in centre.

The Reds pounded out the White Sox pitchers, alas. It was 10-1 by the bottom of the eighth. However, Chicago got some of those runs back as Cincinnati made some mistakes. Eddie Collins singled with one away. Buck Weaver doubled. Jackson was back up. He doubled, too. 10-3. The inning really should have ended not long after. Felsch popped out, and the rally appeared to be over. Chick Gandil hit a fly ball that might have been the third out, but a blazing sun blocked the view of right fielder Greasy Neal. So, out number three instead turned into a three-bagger. Jackson scored, of course. The score was 10-4 but Chicago was ready to put across more.

But not by doing anything that should have resulted in touching home again.

Out number three appeared to be certain again as Swede Risberg hit a short pop-up to centre. Edd Roush hadn't been at his best with the bat, but he'd proven to be a pretty good fielder in this 1919 Fall Classic. Actually, Edd went 3-5 in this game, scoring twice and driving in four. That upped his RBI total to seven.

But here, Roush was no help to the Reds. He couldn't make the catch. The error not only extended the bottom of the eighth, but it scored Chick Gandil. 10-5. The inning should have been over with either of the last two batters. The point I'm trying to make here is, this wasn't the case of the Pale Hose just trying extra hard here and being rewarded. That reward was just two runs. The last two tallies were clearly the product of poor fielding by Cincinnati. Which can happen at any time. It's ironic that with Roush's error, Cincinnati now had committed thirteen errors to the Chicago's twelve. And the White Sox had now scored seven unearned runs in the 1919 World Series. This Fall Classic was now becoming a give-and-take (Opportunities) for both clubs.

In any event, mercifully, the top of the eighth came to an end as Ray Schalk grounded out. Schalk was not involved in the fix. However, it was his counterpart behind the dish on Cincinnati, Ivey Wingo, who led both teams in batting average in the '19 October Classic. Wingo did not play in this eighth contest.

Roy Wilkinson, who was the best Chicago pitcher on the afternoon (4 IP, 2 R), got through the top of the ninth without Cincy scoring. Roy had a tough day. Cincinnati put at least one man on against him every inning he pitched. In the ninth, they managed to get just a leadoff single. In Roy's four innings of work, the Reds had four hits and four walks.

Now, it was the ninth, and Roy Wilkinson was the first batter. There was no way he was going to hit. Eddie Murphy (Not the actor, of course) batted for the pitcher and was hit by Hod Eller. Eller was still in the contest despite allowing nine hits through eight innings. He'd walked just one batter, but now had a hit batter to his afternoon.

Remember how I said Edd Roush had been pretty good in the field? He was just about to prove that again as Edd robbed Nemo Leibold of extra bases with a great catch. But Eddie Collins singled. Eddie had been hot the last two games, as I mentioned earlier.

The White Sox were now in double figures in hits themselves. Eddie Collins had three of those. Buck Weaver and Joe Jackson were each 2-4 so far. However, the single by Collins proved to be Chicago's last hit of the 1919 World Series.

Eller got Weaver to fly out to right fielder Greasy Neal, who made the catch this time. Murphy made it to third in any event. That brought Shoeless Joe Jackson back up to the dish. Collins stole second. But Jackson grounded out to Morrie Rath, who'd collected two hits and two walks on the day for Cincinnati.

Speaking of Rath, the 1919 World Series wasn't great for him. Morrie had been out of the majors from 1914 to 1918. He'd been off fighting in World War One. He'd been in the minors. But now, Rath was back in the bigs and in the Fall Classic.

But Morrie had been a very good hitter in the minor leagues. Rath had hit .338 with Kansas City in the American Association at the "AA" level. The next season, for Toronto of the International League, he'd hit .332. Morrie was still at the "AA" level, and had started the season by hitting a respectable .296 for Kansas City. He spent the next two seasons with the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League (Still at "AA" level), and hit .300, then .341. No wonder he was back in the big time by 1919.

There, with Cincinnati, Morrie Rath hit .264, which isn't bat for a second sacker, right? There also had to be a bit of irony in playing the Chicago White Sox in the Fall Classic that year, as Morrie had hit a career-best .272 for them back in 1912. Rath had sure gotten around. The Reds were hit fourth major league team in five seasons at the top level.

Was Morrie going to go out and prove Chicago made a mistake in letting him go years earlier? His counterpart on the White Sox was Eddie Collins. Collins had hit .319 in 1919. But Eddie would not have a good Fall Classic.

Rath ended up hitting .226 himself in the World Series. But it was his getting hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the first in game one that was supposedly the signal to the gamblers that this Fall Classic was fixed. Rath was only 1-3 in that first contest, but collected two runs scored and an RBI. The real story of the game was the superb pitching of Dutch Ruether, who limited Chicago to just six hits and one (unearned) run. And there was Dutch's bat: 3-3! Ironically, Rath and Ruether had one been traded for each other in the minors. Now, they were in the major leagues and helping the same team win the Fall Classic.

Well, Ruether couldn't pitch game two, of course. Cincinnati won it, but this time had to battle. Slim Sallee overcame ten hits against and pitched the Reds to a 4-2 win over the White Sox. Rath didn't get a hit, but led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. It might not have seen like much at the time, but Rath had battled Chicago pitcher Lefty Williams all afternoon. The first time Morrie had batted in the contest, he took Williams to a full count before flying out to Happy Felsch in centre. Here, his walk started a nice three-run rally. When Rath scored the first run of the game, the home team was ahead for good.

The next inning looked good for Rath. Although he didn't get a hit, he reached on an error by Swede Risberg with one out. But Williams retired the next two batters.

Rath had his worst game of the series in the third contest. Now playing in Comisky Park, the Reds were handed a 3-0 loss by Dickie Kerr. Morrie was 0-4. So Rath was 0-7 in the second and third contest. Amazingly, even though the 1919 World Series was fixed, Cincinnati was starting down the fact they'd gotten just four hits in game two and three more in the next contest.

The Reds managed to win game three, but it was tight all the way. This time, Chicago was the team limited to just three hits (Having gotten seven in the third contest). Cincinnati only ended up with five hits themselves, but had themselves a 2-0 win when the dust had settled on the basepaths. Morrie Rath had gotten Cincinnati off on the right foot with a single as the contests' first batter. However, Jake Daubert, the very next hitter, did the worst thing you can do: He hit into a double play!

The score of 5-0 might indicate game five in Chicago was all the visitors, but that just wasn't so. For starters, Morrie Rath got just one hit. It proved to be at the right time, however. You see, Cincinnati and Chicago were in a scoreless deadlock in the top of the sixth. Hod Eller, matching zeros with Chicago starter Lefty Williams, helped out his own cause by hitting a double. Rath followed with an RBI single. Edd Roush later scored not only Morrie, but also Heinie Groh with a triple. Groh appeared to be a dead duck at the dish from White Sox's catcher Ray Schalk's point of view. He got himself a nice ejection for his protest efforts.

Williams, although a fixer, settled down after that. There was one out, and three runs in, but Lefty retired the next two batters on fly balls (But Roush scored to make it 4-0) and then had a 1-2-3 seventh and eighth. He did not appear to have pitched badly. Once again, the Reds managed just four hits off him. It was only with him lifted that Cincinnati got a fifth run. That happened in the top of the ninth off reliever Erskine Mayer. But this was all done without the benefit of a base hit (Morrie Rath's second base counterpart, Eddie Collins, made an error that contributed to the run, which was unearned).

Morrie was hitting just .176 after five games, yet his team was up in this best-of-nine Fall Classic, 4-1. Lefty Williams and Eddie Cicotte, two proven fixers had lost both of their starts for Chicago. Dickie Kerr, an honest member of the American League champs, went out and won game six, 5-4.

Rath was only able to get one hit in the contest. Cincinnati looked like they were going to win, as they led 4-0 early. Their offence died, alas. In the fourth, Swede Risberg man an error on Rath's grounder, which put Cincy up by four. Morrie actually made it all the way to second and the play, and then stole third for good measure. But as I mentioned earlier, Shoeless Joe nailed Morrie Rath at the dish when he tried to score on a fly to left to end the bottom of the frame.

In the seventh, and the score tied at four, Rath singled. Daubert hit a sac bunt to move him to second. Heinie Groh walked. But Edd Roush grounded into an inning-ending double play. Morrie batted just one more time and was retired.

The seventh game wasn't good for Rath or the Reds. Behind 1-0 in the last of the first, Morrie reached via an error by Eddie Collins. But the next three batters were retired. It was then 2-0 for the Cincinnati Reds when Rath batted again. That was in the third. But all Morrie did was force a runner at second. The Reds didn't score. In fact, they failed to break through against White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte until the bottom of the sixth. By then, the visiting Chicago club had built a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Rath had a chance in the last of the fifth to make a difference. He came up with two on, but could only ground out. Down by three in the seventh, the Reds tried to come back. Rath watched as Cicotte fanned two batters, but in-between had walked catcher Ivey Wingo (Who the Chicago pitcher failed to retire even once the whole contest). Rath singled to put two on with two away. Jake Daubert couldn't continue the frame for Cincinnati, alas.

As the last of the ninth inning started, Cicotte looked to finally get his first win of the 1919 World Series. Eddie had allowed just five hits in eight innings of work. Long before Hoyt Wilhelm, it had been Eddie Cicotte who was the master of a pitch that really danced: The knuckleball! The bottom of the ninth inning started out well for him as Larry Koft and Greasy Neal were retired. The White Sox were one out away from sending this back home. And Cicotte would finally snap out of a streak that had seen him lose his last three decisions in the World Series (He'd lost his second start in 1917 vs. the New York Giants, and only gotten a no-decision in the fifth contest)! It also looked unlikely that Morrie Rath would bat again in this, the crucial seventh contest.

But there was still Ivey Wingo to deal with. The leading hitter (.571) singled. Wingo finished the game 1-1 with three walks. It had taken him a while to get his first at bat in the contest, though. Sheey Magee batted for relief pitcher Dolph Luque and kept the game going with a single right. So Morrie Rath would bat again!

Rath lifted one towards the gap in right-centre. Felsch made the catch, and the game was over.

So the Reds must have been at least a little discouraged. But a big first inning in the next contest helped 'em. Rath didn't help with it, though. He popped out to shortstop Swede Risberg. The good news for the visiting Cincinnati club was that Rath ended up being the only batter pitcher Lefty Williams retired. The next four batters did this:

Single
Singe
Double
Double

As you can see, the Reds were back to hitting the ball well. How about Morrie? Facing a new pitcher (Bill James) in the top of the second, and again the first batter of a frame, Rath didn't do well. James fanned him. It was 4-0 Cincy at this point. And the Reds would extend their lead to 5-0 against the White Sox before Joe Jackson's home run in the bottom of the third got the home team on the board. Although, it was kind of ugly the way the National League winners scored their fifth tally. Jake Daubert was retired right after Rath in the second. So the top of the second seemed over. Heinie Groh singled to keep it going, and then Edd Roush smacked a double to centre. However, Roush got greedy. Why he was greedy in a 5-0 game, you tell me! Trying for third, Edd was a dead duck. And the inning was over.

It's worth noting the home team, Chicago, was hitting the ball well. They got two men on the last of the first, and in the second, appeared to be ready to break through. Swede Risberg walked with one out. Ray Schalk, given life on a pop-up that was dropped by catcher Bill Rariden (Playing in place of the red-hot Ivey Wingo for some reason), singled. Bill James popped out and Nemo Leibold, who could have scored a run for the home team in the last of the first, struck out.

So it was up to Shoeless Joe to get Chicago on the board the next inning. But thanks to some fine fielding on the part of Cincinnati, it was a solo shot. The Reds went back on the attack in the fourth. Hod Eller, looking for his second win of the series, was looking shaky on the hill. He'd been lucky to give up just one run so far. But here, he took one for the team. There was one out, and one on for the Reds. Rath followed with a single. Jake Daubert singled himself. Eller was out at home. Nemo Leibold was having a tough day for the Sox, but the centre fielder now had two assists in the contest. As Leibold had gunned down Eller at the dish, Rath went first to third. So there was still a chance. Heinie Groh grounded out to Morrie Rath's counterpart on Chicago, sadly.

The top of the sixth inning erased any bad feeling the visitors may have had about wasted scoring opportunities. Cincinnati had tacked on a sixth run in the previous inning. Hod Eller got it all started in this sixth inning with a single. Rath had walked. Not only did they both later score, but so too did Jake Daubert! 9-1, Cincy. Now, the National League club was back in business!

Rath and the Reds weren't done. When you're hot, you wanna stay that way, right? Well, still up by eight runs and trying to make their 9-1 win in the first contest look like mere child's play, Cincinnati was back at it the very next inning. Lucky seventh inning for Cincy?

Roy Wilkinson had been touched up for two runs by the Reds in the sixth, and the seventh inning was no cakewalk for the third White Sox pitcher of the game. Roy retired Bill Rariden on a fly to Happy Felsch, who was playing right field rather than his usual centre spot. Hod Eller, who was doing it all in this World Series (Two wins, a Fall Classic record six straight strikeouts in the fifth game, plus a .286 batting average!) fanned. Two away. But the visitors were rude here. Morrie Rath was back up, and continued his big day with a walk. Jake Daubert, who'd finish game eight with two hits and a walk, watched as first base was suddenly open! Rath had caught 'em napping by stealing second. Daubert drew a pass. Heinie Groh flied out to end the inning. 

Chicago wasn't so luck the next time around. Having failed to get a single runner on the bottom of the seventh, the Sox would see the visitors do some damage half an inning later. Bill Rariden made the White Sox forget that Ivey Wingo wasn't  on the field by singling home a tenth Cincinnati runner.

Then, it was Chicago's turn to do some damage in the bottom of the frame. Some poor fielding by Cincinnati led to two Chicago runs. Prior to that, the White Sox had touched home twice. The bat-around last of the eighth, which included two doubles and a triple that should have been caught, finally came to an end when Ray Schalk grounded out to Morrie Rath. Happy Felsch was on first when this happened, having reached on an error that scored Chick Gandil. I'm sure Morrie and the Reds were a tad mad that they'd given the White Sox a bit of life here! But there was still at least one more inning in this contest!

Well, this eighth game was now officially a slugfest. Hod Eller had been working on a fine five-hitter through seven, but a bad inning now saw the home team up to nine hits. The visiting Cincinnati Reds had one last crack at Roy Wilkinson in the top of the ninth. It was time to get some momentum back, right?

Sure. Morrie Rath singled to get it all started. On cue, eh? Morrie had popped out and struck out the two previous times he'd led off an inning in this contest. But in-between, Morrie had sure done some damage. Morrie, you see, had come into the game hitting just .185. However, this was A) A game Cincinnati really wanted to win, having lost a lot of momentum the previous two contests, and B) A great game by the Reds' shortstop! Not only had he picked up two hits in this contest to boost his average to .226, but Morrie had walked twice for good measure.

Now, could Cincinnati get Morrie Rath home here in the ninth? Roy Wilkinson was still pitching. And battling. The Reds had found him to their liking in this game. Jake Daubert, with the thinking of probably just getting one run, bunted. The sac worked and Morrie was now in scoring position. But Heinie Groh flied to Nemo Leibold in centre. And then Edd Roush grounded out to Buck Weaver at third.

So Rath would have to settle for two hits and two walks. But that's a great day by any measure.

The White Sox, having figured out Hod Eller the previous frame, had one last shot at the Reds' pitcher. Hod used a pitch that would soon be outlawed by baseball, the shineball. As the name suggests, the Reds' pitcher would apply "some stuff" to the baseball. At this point, had Chicago known to lay off his crazy stuff? Or had they somehow figured out how the ball danced? Truth be told, this excellent pitcher for Cincinnati would be out of organized baseball within a few year of the banning of the shiner.

Here, though, Eller was trying to shake off that rough eighth frame, but having all sorts of trouble. He hit the first batter, pinch-hitter Eddie Murphy (I wonder if that was a shineball?). One out later, Morrie Rath watched at second as Eddie Collins put the ball over his and shortstop Larry Koft to centre for a hit. So both second sackers had singles in the ninth. For this entire contest, though, Collins now led Rath in hits, 3-2. But when Buck Weaver flied out to right, there were two away. Murphy took third after the catch by Greasy Neal. Rath then watched as Collins stole second, having himself quite an inning. This, however, was Collins first stolen base of the 1919 World Series. Rath had two himself. The batter when all this was going on was Joe Jackson. And Rath then took his grounder and whipped it to Daubert at first, ending the 1919 Fall Classic.

References

Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball at It's Best. Doubleday, 1994. 

Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? McFarland, 2001. (Kindle edition)

Enders, Eric. 100 Years of the World Series: 1903-2004. Sterling Publishing c/o Canadian Manda Group, 2005. 

Foutain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. OXFORD University Press, 2017.

Freedman, Lew. Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch. Sports Publishing, 2015. 

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Taylor Publishing Company, 1992. 

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain't So, Joe! Canadian Manda Group, 1992. 

Halfon, Mark S. Tales From the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Potomac Books, 2014.

Hornbaker, Tim. Fall From Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. Sports Publishing, 2016. 

Kepner, Tyler. K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches. Anchor Books, 2020.

Mallon, Douglas. The World Series. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. 

Morissey, Scott. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed., Pandamonium Publishing House, 2020. 

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. 12th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1992. 

--- The World Series: Complete Play-by-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 5th ed., St. Martin's Press, 1990. 

Nemec, David, et al. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's ed., Publications International, Ltd., 1993. 

Society for American Baseball Research, Society for American Baseball Research, sabr.org. 08 Jan. 2021.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 08 Jan. 2021.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com. 08 Jan. 2021.