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?

The 1919 Chicago White Sox are the only team to win game seven and not sip champagne at the conclusion of the Fall Classic. I mean, there were six to eight guys not giving their best efforts in the best-of-nine affair, so by the time Chicago got to the seventh contest, they were down 4-2.

The very first World Series had the Boston Americans overcoming the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 in a best-of-nine affair. The format did not stick, as there would be Fall Classics to come that would only best-of-seven, or not played at all.

Indeed. There was no Fall Classic in 1904, since John McGraw didn't thin the American League was a good enough opponent. His New York Giants topped the Senior Circut with 106 wins. By comparison, the Junior Circuit's best was Boston again, but with only 95 wins.

McGraw's team proved to be much superior when the World Series resumed permanently (With the exception of the 1994 strike which wiped it out that season) the next season. The Giants had their was with the poor Philadelphia Athletics. Christy Mathewson had three shutouts as the New York needed just five games to win the best-of-seven affair. If Philly wanted to play more games, they needed the best-of-nine format back.

The World Series itself seemed to stay that way for a while. McGraw's Giants dropped a heartbreaker in 1912 to the Boston Red Sox, with one game declared a tie. That would be as close as you'd get to a best-of-nine until 1919.

The Fall Classic of 1919 is famous. Some White Sox players got some bucks to throw it. Among them was Eddie Cicotte, who received $10,000 prior to game one (Which he lost, 9-1) vs. Cincinnati. A 4-2 win in the second contest at Redland Field seemed to raise some more eyebrows. Conveniently, the visiting White Sox collected ten hits (Three alone, by Shoeless Joe Jackson) to the Reds' four, but lost.

But maybe it wasn't such a surprise. Hadn't Cincy won 96 games compared to the Pale Hose' 88? And what about pitching? Slim Sallee, who gave up those ten hits in game two, topped all Cincinnati hurlers with 21 wins. But just barely. A pair of 19-game winners (Dutch Ruether, who topped the National League in W%, and Hod Eller, who'd will be heard about later) were there. The team had an additional three pitchers who won at least ten games. Two were in the regular rotation, by name Ray Fisher and Jimmy Ring. They even had a bit of a closer in Cuban-born Dolph Luque (10-3 with 3 saves). Luque would pitch in that seventh game of '19.

But it didn't look like Chicago would make it that far. Their two aces, Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams had lost (Despite Williams fine complete game four-hitter in the second contest). The White Sox did have some pretty good other pitchers not named Cicotte and Williams (Both of whom were part of the fix). However, one of them was Hall of Famer Red Faber. Faber was sick and had an injury to his ankle by the time this October Classic rolled around. How useful he'd have been (11-9, 3.83 earned run average) is anyone's guess. Eddie Cicotte, with hit knuckleball, had not only won 29 games, but posted an ERA of just 1.82. Lefty Williams, with his curveball, was 23-11 with a 2.64 ERA. Williams' earned run average really couldn't compete with anyone on the Cincinnati Reds starting five pitchers. Dutch Ruether's was 1.82. Slim Sallee's was 2.06. Ray Fisher's was 2.17. Jimmy Ring's was 2.26. Hod Eller's  was 2.39. Really, the only Cincinnati pitcher who had an earned run average near Lefty Williams' was Dolph Luque (2.63) But Luque started just nine times and pitched only 106 innings. 

But getting back to it, the White Sox had still another capable pitcher in Dickie Kerr. Kerr was 13-7 with a 2.88 earned run average. Kerr was kind of a tweener. He started 17 games and relieved on 22 other occasions. Perhaps it's worth noting that Chicago had two more part time starters in Bill James and Roy Wilkinson. Both pitched well for Chicago, albeit in limited duty. James was claimed off waivers from the Boston Red in August. He seemingly gotten better with each transaction in the 1919 season. Bill started out with Detroit, winning a game. But Bill James' ERA was 5.79 in his two appearances with the Tigers. With the Red Sox, that earned run average improved to 4.14, but James went just 3-5. Then, with Chicago, he pitched in five games, all starts, and went 3-2 (And a 2.52 ERA).

The White Sox had probably had high hopes with Dave Danforth. He had one of the greatest relief seasons of all-time in 1917 for Chicago. Check out his stats here. And it's not like Dave was a one-year wonder. He'd pitched first for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1911, going 4-1 with a 3.74 earned run average. Although Danforth appeared in just fourteen games (A dozen relief outings), he was the A's top fireman that season. After not doing much for Philadelphia in the coming years (And spending the majority of the time in the minor leagues, Dave became a the property of the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 1915 season when the Pale Hose drafted him.

Danforth's 6-5 record in 1916 was pretty good, as was his 3.27 earned run average. His amazing next year saw Dave make 50 appearances for the White Sox. He won 11, saved a league-best 9, and posted an ERA of 2.65. Better still, all that helped Chicago win it all in 1917. Dave couldn't quite keep it up come 1918, though. He was just 6-15, recording only 2 saves. However, his earned run average was still pretty good, 3.43.

But in 1919, things came apart. The Chicago White Sox needed him to be their top fireman, but Dave Danforth was anything but. Through July 29th, he had just one win and an ugly ERA of 7.71. The Sox needed more pitching, so they traded Dave to the minor league ("AA" level) Columbus Senators (American Association) for Roy Wilkinson on August 26th. Would Wilkinson solve any problems?

Wilkinson actually helped, as he was given the start on September 12th. He went the distance against Philadelphia, shutting them out in a 7-0 Chicago win. His next three outings were in relief. While the first two were great (Combining for six shutout innings), his last one was not. Roy relieved Eddie Cicotte on September 28th as the Chicago starter was making his second bid to finish the year a 30-game winner. In seven relief innings, Wilkinson allowed nine runs (Five earned) in a 10-9 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Wilkinson finished 1919 with a 1-1 record and a fine 2.05 earned run average despite the setback in his last September outing. While his 1920 season wasn't too bad (7-9, 4.03 ERA), that was his last decent season in the bigs. He bottomed out to just 4-20 in 1921 and then 0-1 with a 8.79 ERA the next year. Roy's big league career was over after he and John Russell were traded to the American Association's Kansas City Blues.

The 1919 World Series got off to a bad start for the Chicago White Sox until game three. Playing at home, the Pale Hose beat Cincinnati 3-0 behind Dickey Kerr. This proved to be the last game the White Sox won at home in '19. The Cincinnati Reds turned to Jimmy Ring for the pivotal game four, and he delivered.

The home team managed just three hits (And it was Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil, ironically got got them. All were suspected / proven fixers). Eddie Cicotte didn't pitch too bad himself, and finished with a tough-luck 2-0 loss. Eddie allowed just five hits. It was his fielding that was poor.

Truth be told, if Cicotte could just take back the top of the fifth, everything would have been okay. Actually, there was a moment earlier in the contest when if Ed could have just done something with the bat, maybe the outcome would have been different.

In the last of the second inning, Shoeless Joe got a promising rally going. His leadoff double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Happy Felsch. Chick Gandil, one of the main culprits behind the scandal, popped out. Swede Risberg, still another member of the fixers, walked and stole second. Ray Schalk, who was not in on this crooked deal, was put on with first base open. The sacks were full for Eddie Cicotte. But all the pitcher could do was ground out to second.

Chicago did have another chance in the bottom of the third. With one away, Eddie Collins (Along with Schalk and Red Faber, the only members of this pennant-winning team to make it to Cooperstown) was hit by a pitch. Buck Weaver grounded out, with first basemen Jake Daubert making the play unassisted. There were two outs and Schalk on second. Joe Jackson appeared to end the inning by grounding to second, but Morrie Rath couldn't handle it. So now there were runners on the corners.

Happy Felsch grounded out to third. And this was Chicago's last serious threat. Cincinnati took advantage of this in the fifth. After Eddie Cicotte retired Edd Roush, Pat Duncan hit a grounder that the pitcher threw wild to first. On this bad play, the Reds ended up with a runner on second. Larry Koft singled to left. Joe Jackson got to it, and fired a strike home. The ball never got there.

Cicotte intercepted it. Or tried to. What happened was, the pitcher succeeded in doing nothing right. The ball was deflected past Ray Schalk, the catcher. This enabled Roush to score. Greasy Neal followed with a double over Jackson in left (Who was playing shallow. That should raise some suspicion, but this move was approved of by manager Kid Gleason. So the skipper thought it was a good idea.) to make it 2-0, visitors. That would be the final score.

Hod Eller followed up Jimmy Ring's three-hitter with one of his own for the Reds in game five. However, I must say it was more impressive, as Hod fanned six batters in a row at one point. Lefty Williams, as he had in game two, allowed just four hits (This time only going eight innings), but it was not enough. The 5-0 win gave Cincinnati a 4-1 series lead in the 1919 Fall Classic.

The White Sox were in a real hitting slump, you might say. And it wasn't just the suspected players. Eddie Collins was hitting .111. Nemo Leibold, who'd batted leadoff in games three to five for Chicago, was 0-12 at the dish. Shano Collins (Not related to Eddie) was 1-8. Both Shano and Nemo had taken turns playing right field for Chicago. You think they should've tried someone else?

On the bright side, you had Ray Schalk who was hitting .308. But Schalk had been ejected for arguing a call at home in game five. At this point, Buck Weaver (Who attended some of the meetings with the crooked players but took no dough) was hitting an even .300 and Joe Jackson was holding his own at .316. But oddly enough, neither player had an RBI to their name.

It's not like Shoeless Joe (Who'd failed to get a hit in the fifth contest) and company suddenly woke up now, facing elimination. Nope. Cincinnati came home to Redland Field, determined to put their adversary out of their misery.

Couldn't have asked for a better start. Although Dick Kerr wasn't part of the guilty party, his effort in game six didn't seem like enough. Either on the mound or on the basepaths.

By the third, Pat Duncan scored Jake Daubert and Edd Roush with a double to break the ice. Next inning, the Reds scored two more. In the fifth, another run. Four runs on six hits. The White Sox weren't doing it with the bat or the glove, either.

Buck Weaver singled in the top of the first with two away, but Joe Jackson couldn't do anything and the inning ended. Dutch Ruether got 'em (Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg) 1-2-3 in the second. Ray Schalk opened the top of the third with a walk, but Ruether only needed to face three more batters before he got out of there without Chicago scoring. Weaver and Jackson were retired to start the fourth before Happy Felsch singled. Chick Gandil then grounded out. The guys who were suspected or proven to be in on the fix appeared to be doing a marvelous job in a game that if lost, would conclude the Fall Classic of 1919.

And that's just their hitting. How about the fielding?  

Well Exhibit A is Swede Risberg. I think Swede pretty much wanted to throw this Fall Classic in the worse way. Here was his team, facing elimination, and his fielding was terrible. If it matters, Risberg was seventh in the American League in errors in 1919 with 32. League-leader Wally Gerber of the St. Louis had 45.

I'm don't think Gerber's were intentional, though. Come game six of the 1919 World Series, where supposedly the Chicago White Sox were mad about not getting all their money, Risberg seemed to have no intention of trying. In the last of the second, Swede couldn't come up with Pat Duncan's ball. The error had potential to start a big inning, as Duncan was leading off. Larry Koft followed with a walk, but Dickie Kerr pitched out of that mess. Greasy Neale tried to bunt 'em both over into scoring position, but failed. Duncan was erased at third. Cather Bill Rariden also hit into a force, as Neale was erased at second. With runners on the corners, pitcher Dutch Ruether hit a comebacker to Kerr. Kerr to Chick Gandil at first, inning over.

But in the fourth, Ruether redeemed himself with a double to left to score Neale, who'd led off with a three-bagger. The RBI by the pitcher made it 3-0, Cincinnati. Morrie Rath hit the ball to Swede Risberg. The Swede threw wide to third in an attempt to get Dutch Ruether. Third baseman Buck Weaver didn't have any chance at the peg, and Ruether scored on the throwing error. Nice work, Risberg. 4-0, Reds.

Risberg did do something right come the top of the fifth. He drew a leadoff walk. Ray Schalk followed suit. It seemed like Chicago had something going. While they got a run, it was Dickie Kerr himself who ran 'em out of the inning.

Kerr followed the two bases on balls with a single to help out his own cause. The bases were full, and the tying run was at the plate, but the Chicago White Sox still trailed 4-0. Shano Collins flied out to centre. It was not deep enough. One away. Eddie Collins then hit a flyball to centre which Edd Roush again caught. This time, it was deep enough to score Risberg. 4-1. But Kerr thought Ray Schalk was moving to third. All that ended up happening was Dickie froze on the basepaths, knowing he was in trouble. Amazingly enough, Roush had also believed Ray Schalk was going second to third. So his peg ended up to the empty bag ninety feet from home. Heinie Groh, the Reds' third basemen, trotted on over to Kerr, tagging him out (So an 8-5 putout) to end that danger.

Dutch Ruether would not be so lucky next time around. The White Sox, though, gave the Reds another baserunner in-between the top of the fifth and sixth. Dickie Kerr got the first two batters up, but then, some trouble. Happy Felsch had little trouble handling Groh's fly to start the last of the fifth. Shano Collins, to the right of Felsch, then made a fine catch on Edd Roush's fly. It seemed like an easy, routine 1-2-3 frame for Dickie Kerr. But then Felsch, who'd played some really bad defence in game five, continued it here. Trying for a one-handed catch of Pat Duncan's fly, he couldn't. The White Sox were up to three errors in just five innings. Risberg's were his third and fourth of the 1919 World Series. Felsch now had two errors in his last two games. And Happy could do it all in the field with his speed and his cannon of an arm. You need proof? In game two of the this series, he'd robbed Edd Roush of a hit, then fired the ball back to the infield to double up Heinie Groh. Felsch recorded two assists (One on a double play) in games two and four of the 1917 Fall Classic, further proof of his terrific fielding. But Happy needed to do that in games five and six, which were crucial. And he wasn't.

Anyways, Chicago came back. Buck Weaver didn't take any money from the gamblers, but still got suspended for life. But a rally was needed here, and Weaver was the catalyst. Behind in the count 1-2, the White Sox' third baseman hit a double that neither Pat Duncan (In left) and Larry Koft (At short) could get two. What you might call a Texas League hit, but I'm not sure if the ball was hit weakly. However, it's interesting to note Shoeless Joe Jackson had a double similar to this in game four, only it was between two outfielders, a shot to shallow right centre.

Speaking of Joe, his two-bagger in game four didn't score anyone. But here, Shoeless Joe stroked a clean single on the first pitch. Weaver scored. 4-2. The White Sox didn't stop there. Happy Felsch did Jackson a base better with a double to the left centre gap. And it was hit well. Cincinnati manager Pat Moran could see the White Sox had gotten to his pitcher. Three straight hits to start the top of the sixth.

Jimmy Ring came in, and the White Sox rally seemed destined to end right there. Looking at Ring's fine three-hit shutout in game four, it appeared Chicago was overmatched. It seemed like an odd move. Why not bring in relief ace Dolph Luque in this situation? Ring might not be available should Cincinnati need another start out of him. Obviously, the Reds wanted the 1919 World Series over. Right here, right now. Having said that, game seven would be at home, too. So it's not like they wouldn't have another chance at home to close this one out.

Ring got Chick Gandil to pop out. One away. Risberg grounded out, moving Felsch ninety feet away from the dish. See? A hit would have tied the contest. Are these guys really trying?

Ray Schalk was. His single made it a 4-4 ballgame. Schalk then stole second. The go-ahead run was in scoring position. But all Dickie Kerr could do was ground out to third basemen Heinie Groh.

The battle continued on into extra innings. Kerr was in and out of trouble at some points. Ring got Chicago 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. He certainly was pitching well. His team put two men on in the bottom of that frame. Ironically, it was Swede Risberg that got to the grounder by Edd Roush that led to an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

But let's not pick on Roush. Remember that double play he started in centre. That wasn't the only one for him in this affair. Chicago also had two men on (Jackson and Gandil walked), the very next inning in fact. It was there that Roush became the first outfielder to have two double plays in one Fall Classic contest. Swede Risberg actually hit the ball well. But Edd Roush was having quite the game with his glove, arm and bat. He'd reached base twice in four times up to the dish via a single and hit by pitch.

And when he snared Risberg's shot to centre and doubled off Jackson at second, the top of the eighth was over. Kerr had some trouble in the bottom of the frame as Cincinnati got two hits. Bill James started to loosen up, ready to relieve Dickie Kerr. But with two outs, Jimmy Ring batted for himself in what seemed like an odd choice in a tie game. Ring hit into an innng-ending force.

Nothing much happened in the ninth. But there was Buck Weaver again in the tenth. Just like four innings earlier, he led off with a two-bagger. Joe Jackson bunted him to third. The visiting Chicago White Sox had the makings of a huge inning. They'd settle for just one run, alas.

First, Felsch fanned. So it was Chick Gandil back at the dish. He hadn't had an RBI since game three. Chick, one of the ring leaders of this scandal, had actually gotten off to a pretty good start in this Fall Classic. Two hits in game one. Drove in the only White Sox run. 1-4 in game two. 1-3 with two RBI in game three. In fact, coming into game six, Gandil had three RBI. The rest of the team? None.

But now, as teammates Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch and Ray Schalk collected the runs batted in, what was Chick Gandil doing? Well, he was mired in a batting slump at just the right time, right?

He was 1-12 since that game three, two-run single. Chick was hitting .364 after game three. But after game five, he'd slipped to .278. Nonetheless, he came through here in the top of the tenth as the White Sox needed him to. The hit itself is interesting. From what I've read, it was a bouncing hit. In David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen's book The World Series, it is described as not even making it out of the infield. From the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame site, the claim is made that the ball could have been fielded. The home team, however, didn't play the infield back. At normal depth, the Reds infielders couldn't field it.

So 5-4 Chicago. The hit "lifted" Chick Gandil's batting average a bit. It was down to just .238 (5-21) before, but was now .273. Gandil did not really show up the next game with his bat, however.

Swede Risberg ended the inning by lining out to his counterpart on Cincinnati, Larry Kopf. And Shoeless Joe had taken off on the crack of the bat. So he was a dead duck at second. (Ring, despite the earned run allowed, would finish the 1919 World Series with the best earned run average of any pitcher, 0.64)

It mattered little to the home team, who were retired in order. The Reds had some work to do. But were still up 4-2 in this series, and had game seven at home. Plus, they had their friend Eddie Cicotte going. Ed was 0-2 with a 4.26 earned run average. Cicotte had been routed by the Reds the last time he'd pitched at Redland Field. And let's not forget his shaky fielding in game four, either.

The Chicago pitcher wasn't a good hitter, either. He batted .186 lifetime. In the 1917 World Series, he got just a hit and a walk in eight times up at the dish. He was 0-4 so far in the Fall Classic two years later.

Cicotte did nothing at the dish in game six. 0-4 with two K's. His pitching was better. Well, funny thing, Ed hadn't allowed an earned run in nine innings in game four. But of course, those two runs were his fault via two errors. Here, two games later, he pitched well. Not that Cincinnati didn't have their share of moments against him in this potential clinching contest.

But the visiting White Sox wasted no time in getting to Slim Sallee. Slim was the type of pitcher Chicago liked to face in the postseason. Two years earlier, he was on the New York Giants, who faced the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. How'd he do?

He'd lost game one, but pitched well. Just seven hits and two (earned) runs allowed. The White Sox, though, routed him in game five, which was a crucial one. With the series tied 2-2, the Giants needed a good pitching performance from Slim Sallee, and they didn't get one. The Sox strafed Sallee for 13 hits in just 7 1/3 innings, crossing the dish eight times against him.

So come 1919, Slim's game two performance was good enough. Both runs were unearned. But Chicago got ten hits off him. Three alone by Shoeless Joe.

And by the time Joe Jackson came up for the first time against Slim Sallee in game six, there was an opportunity to do some damage.

Shano Collins got it all started in the top of the first with a single. Eddie Collins bunted him to second. Buck Weaver, still looking for his first RBI of the 1919 World Series, could only fly out. But with two away, Shoeless Joe put the White Sox ahead for good with a single to his neck of the woods, left field. The inning should have ended right there, as Jackson made the big turn around first. Too much of a jog. Jackson should have been a dead duck between first and second, as Pat Duncan had tossed the sphere back into the infield. A rundown ensued, but Jake Daubert dropped the peg. Happy Felsch appeared to make Cincinnati pay with a single of his own, but Chick Gandil hit into a force. 

Shoeless Joe Jackson didn't have much time to wait and grab some lumber again. The third inning was even more to his liking. Both Collins' singled. But Buck Weaver hit into a double play, with Eddie Collins causing interference at second, making the batter out automatically. Shano Collins was stationed on second base after this, per the interference rule. So Shoeless Joe had just one runner to work with. Nonetheless, he singled. 2-0, Chicago.

In the top of the fifth, it was still 2-0 for the visitors. Eddie Cicotte was holding his own, allowing Cincinnati just one hit and one walk through four. And his team got him some more runs to play with.

After Shano Collin flew out, their second basemen of the same last name singled. Buck Weaver hit a ball to Heinie Groh at third. Groh couldn't handle it for an error. Joe Jackson himself them reached on another Reds' error, this time by second basemen Morrie Rath. Happy Felsch then took advantage of all this rigmarole by singling in two more runs. That was all for Slim Sallee. 4 1/3 innings pitched. Nine hits allowed.

Ray Fisher, who'd pitched well for Cincinnati in game three (Losing only 3-0), came in to face Chick Gandil. Gandil had been the hero of games three and six of this series, but had no such luck against either Slim Sallee and Ray Fisher in game seven. He hit the ball back to Fisher, who fired to Jake Daubert at first for the second out. There were now runners on second and third, but the top of the fifth ended with Swede Risberg fanning.

Eddie Cicotte allowed a hit and a walk in the last of the fifth, but stranded both runners. Dolph Luque, who probably should have pitched the previous game for Cincinnati, hopped in to hold Chicago. Did he ever hold 'em: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K. 

It was a little too late. The home team finally pried loose a run of Eddie Cicotte in the last of the sixth. Heinie Groh hit a ground-rule two bagger with one away. Edd Roush grounded back to Eddie Cicotte, who pegged him out at first. The shutout must have not mattered to Cicotte, as there was a strong possibility he could have nailed Heinie Groh going to third. But now Groh was ninety feed away with two down. Cicotte did not retire Pat Duncan. Pat's single scored Groh. It was a 4-1 ballgame.

This inning seemed to wake up the Reds. In the seventh, Greasy Neale fanned. But Ivey Wingo, who was never once retired all game, walked. It was the third free pass of the afternoon that Wingo had received. Dolph Luque was curiously allowed to hit for himself. Eddie Cicotte fanned him. Morrie Rath got hit number five for the Reds. There bats were coming alive. But the inning ended as Jake Daubert grounded out to second basemen Eddie Collins.

After getting the side 1-2-3 in the eight, there was more trouble for Eddie Cicotte in the ninth. Working on a fine five-hitter, he stumbled. 

Catcher Ivey Wingo, who finished this contest an awesome 1-1 with three bases on balls, would finish the 1919 World Series with the top batting average, .571. So Cincinnati had the pitcher with the best ERA in Jimmy Ring, and the batter with the best batting average and on-base percentage (Wingo's was .700). It's interesting to note, the .700 OBP by the Cincinnati Reds catcher puts him fourth (Tied with Barry Bonds) on highest OBP in a single Fall Classic. If you are wondering, Cincinnati has the top spot in BA and OBP in a single World Series. 81 years later, Billy Hatcher hit .750 and had a .800 on-base percentage in the 1990 World Series vs. Oakland. At the time of Ivey Wingo's 1919 performance, he stood alone atop the leaders for top batting average and on-base percentage in one October Classic. The previous best batting average in one World Series was Hank Gowdy's .545 average in 1914. Gowdy also had a remarkable .688 on-base percentage in the '14 World Series. But when the smoke cleared on this tainted 1919 World Series, Wingo stood alone.

But now, Larry Kopf and Greasy Neale were retired by Edd Cicotte. He was working on a fine five-hitter through eight and two-thirds innings pitched. But here's where Ivey Wingo got his one hit. The good news for Chicago is that would be the last time they saw him this Fall Classic. I'm sure Wingo was sad to think he wouldn't at least see Cicotte again this World Series. He'd gone 4-6 (And remember, three walks, too) against him.

The bad news for the White Sox was, the game was not over. Wingo's hit was only a single. But now the question was who would hit against the knuckleball master on the mound, who looked like he was trying to win this game. Dolph Luque, who had completely stifled the Chicago White Sox in his 4 1/3 innings of excellent relief, was the next scheduled hitter. No way, no how, down 4-1 were the Cincinnati Reds gonna let him hit. Instead it was Sherry Magee. Magee's only action in the 1919 World Series so far had been when he'd batted against Dickie Kerr in the eighth inning of game three and been retired on a flyball. Here, the one-time star of the Philadelphia Phillies was being sent up to the dish to keep the Reds hopes alive in game seven.

Magee had hit just .215 in 56 games with the Reds in 1919. This, in fact, would be his last major league plate appearance. Magee had led the Senior Circuit in runs driven three times (1907, 1910, 1914). But Sherry had just 21 in 1919.

In any event, Sherry won the battle with Cicotte. His pinch hit single moved Wingo to second. Magee's major league career ended right there, as Jimmy Smith went in to run for him. Morrie Rath was back up. He ended the game by flying out to Happy Felsch in centre.

So, Eddie Cicotte was the winning pitcher. I guess you could argue he'd pitched better in game four. But his effort was a little more honest as he made no errors. Still couldn't hit, though.

You'd think maybe Chicago was going to win this thing, now. But Lefty Williams didn't pitch well in game eight back at Comiskey Park. Nope. Got the first batter out, then gave up a pair of singles to first basemen Jake Daubert and third basemen Heinie Groh. Lefty followed that by allowing two doubles to Edd Roush and Pat Duncan. Shortstop Larry Kopf was now at the plate, with just one out and three runs in. Williams missed with the first pitch. This situation wasn't pretty and Lefty was out of there. New pitcher Bill James couldn't hold the fort either. He gave up a walk to Kopf and a two-out, run-scoring single to Bill Rariden before the inning ended. The visiting Cincinnati Reds were ahead for good.

Chicago got two men on via a single by Nemo Leibold (Playing centre as Happy Felsch was in right field) and a double by Eddie Collins. Buck Weaver was up. But Chicago was facing Hod Eller again. And Eller was masterful. He fanned Weaver. Jackson popped up behind third in foul territory. Here's where an oddity happened. Larry Kopf, the third basemen, had raced back and made a fine play to make the catch. But Nemo Leibold should have tagged and scored, getting Chicago on the board. He held right there at third. The side was instead retired without a run as Happy Felsch fanned.

Felsch ended the game 0-4, but Joe Jackson certainly did not. Next time up, Shoeless Joe hit a home run to finally get his team on the board in the last of the third. However, the visitors had crossed home in the top of the second. So the Reds were up 5-1. Leibold, by the way, sort of redeemed himself by nailing Hod Eller at home in the top of the fourth to keep Chicago within four runs of Cincinnati. For Nemo, it was his second outfield assist of the afternoon. I guess Kid Gleason had finally grown tired of Felsch's mistakes in centre. Leibold's play there had to please him.

But what Kid Gleason needed was Nemo Leibold and Happy Felsch's bats. They weren't doing enough. Weaver was having no luck. He appeared to have hit in the third, only to be robbed by Morrie Rath. On the bright side, there was Eddie Collins. When this game reached it's conclusion, he had three hits.

But maybe Kid Gleason hadn't been so smart in some of his moves. Another attempt to get back in the game prior to Joe Jackson's home run had been in the second, when the pitcher faltered through the inning. Via a walk to Swede Risberg and a single by Ray Schalk. Schalk had sort of been lucky, as he'd been given new life at the dish. The catcher had popped up to his counterpart, Bill Rariden, in foul territory. Rariden dropped it.

You'd think Pat Moran, the Reds' manager, would have wanted Ivey Wingo in there, given how well he'd played. But Wingo had made a dozen errors behind the dish in 75 games compared to Rariden's six in 70. Also, I'm sure Cincinnati didn't expect a quick outing by Lefty Williams. Williams had allowed just four hits in each of his previous starts in the 1919 World Series. Ivey Wingo batted lefty, and a lefty-lefty confrontation with the tough Chicago starter didn't sound like a good idea. 

So, the White Sox had two men on, with just one out. Why let pitcher Bill James bat for himself. Why let him continue to pitch after? James was routed for eight hits in four and two-thirds innings. All he could do with the bat was pop up here, and strikeout in the fifth. Speaking of K's, that's what Hod Eller did to Nemo Leibold to end the second. Eller had three whiffs in only two innings.

The Cincinnati pitcher seemed to have it on this day. Jackson's hit was the only one given up by the Cincinnati pitcher from the third inning to the fifth. He was also up to five K's. Hod's team kept coming at Chicago. Greasy Neale singled home a run in the top of the fifth to get the five run lead back. Three more runs in the top of sixth inning and still another in the eighth upped it to 10-1 after 7 1/2.

Buck Weaver had gotten the sixth inning off on the right foot for the White Sox with a single. Joe Jackson gave it quite a ride to centre, but Edd Roush got this one. Happy Felsch and Chick Gandil were also retired on flyballs. Hod Eller had quite a sixth inning. He singled an scored in the top of the frame and then continued to frustrate the Chicago batters in the bottom of it. And Eller followed it up by getting the side in order in the seventh.

Cincinnati didn't appear to need Ivey Wingo after all. You see, Bill Rariden had driven in the tenth Reds' run in the top of the eighth to really put the game out of reach. Hod Eller did falter in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Eddie Collins singled. Buck Weaver doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Joe Jackson came through with a double. These were really the only two runs the White Sox should have scored this inning. But after retiring Happy Felsch on a pop out, Cincinnati had some bad luck. First, Chick Gandil hit a triple that right fielder Greasy Neale lost in the afternoon sun. Then, the man playing to Neale's right, Edd Roush, couldn't come up with Swede Risberg's fly. The error allowed Gandil to score. It was 10-5, now. You sort of have to feel sorry for Eller. With his bat, he'd gotten a hit and been hit by a pitch. And Hod nearly had two runs scored. A bad inning (But not really all his fault), turned his fine five-hitter into a nine-hitter. Gandil's triple ended up being his last plate appearance at the big-league level.

Cincinnati got a single by Morrie Rath off Roy Wilkinson to start the ninth, but the next three batters were retired. Wilkinson had finally relieved Bill James in the top of the sixth after giving up a single and a walk. Wilkinson had an interesting game for Chicago. He was there to put out the fire in that dreadful sixth frame. He got Jake Daubert to hit into a fielder's choice on an attempted bunt (But an error by Ray Schalk fielding it meant the bases were loaded) and Heinie Groh to strikeout. It seemed like Kid Gleason had finally made a good move.

Alas, Edd Roush 2-3 so far with two doubles, added a single to score two more runs. Pat Duncan was himself 1-3, but with a double of his own. Roy Wilkinson could not stop the bleeding. Duncan's single off him scored Jake Daubert, making it 9-1 for the visitors. Roy then walked Larry Koft before settling down. The bases were loaded again. Greasy Neal forced Edd Roush at home. Wilkinson then picked off Kopf!

Roy Wilkinson's problem lay with his control this afternoon. Sure, he got through the seventh without allowing a run (Or a hit), but there were problems. Morrie Rath drew a two-out walk. Then Rath swiped second with Jake Daubert back up. He was having quite the game. 2-4 at the dish with two runs scored so far. Here, Jake coaxed another walk of Wilkinson. Roy was up to to three free passes in just 1 2/3 innings. Heinie Groh flew out to end it.

The next inning, Roy wasn't so luck as Wilkinson hit Edd Roush. Three walks and a hit batsman. Wild times for Roy Wilkinson. Pat Duncan got Roush into scoring position with a sac bunt. Larry Kopf popped out, and Wilkinson seemed safe. But Greasy Neale drew a walk off him. That's now four walks allowed in 2 2/3 innings by the White Sox pitcher. Bill Rariden made the hurler pay for his lack of control with a single to score Roush.

So Roy Wilkinson had an odd game. He'd allowed four hits in four innings. Not bad compared to Lefty Williams allowing four hits in a third of an inning or Bill James allowing eight hits in four and two-third's inning. But the bullpen had really been bad. In a combined eight and two-thirds innings pitched, James and Wilkinson had issued seven bases on balls. Neither pitcher was in on the fix, but they sure weren't helping the Chicago White Sox cause.

So how about the bottom of the ninth? 

The Reds' starting pitcher Hod Eller started the last of the ninth off badly. It had been a rought eighth for him, but Eller still entered the final frame with six strikeouts. Kid Gleason sent up Eddie Murphy to bat for Roy Wilinson. Kid Gleason had waited until it was too late use a pinch hitter for him. Looking at this eighth game, Bill James, who had relieved Lefty Williams in the top of the first, had batted for himself in the bottom of the second and fifth. Wilkinson had batted from himself in the last of the seventh. Combined, the two pitchers were 0-3 with two strikeouts.

Well, Murphy ended up getting hit by Eller. In hitting a batter, Eller equaled what Bill James and Roy Wilkinson had done in the afternoon. Chicago seemed to be getting to Hod. Nine hits, a walk, and now a hit batter. Nemo Leibold gave it a ride to centre. Edd Roush, redeeming himself from the previous inning, dove for it, and came up with the ball.

However, Eddie Collins was up. He was 2-4. Eddie made it 3-5 with a single, sending Eddie Murphy to second. Buck Weaver, still in search of his first RBI in this series, sent a pitch to right, where Greasy Neale made the catch. Murphy tagged and made it to third. Hod Eller then faced Shoeless Joe Jackson with runners now on the corners. Two on, two out. Collins stole second, and now there were two runners in scoring position for Jackson. Hod Eller got Joe Jackson to ground out to end it. So Eddie Cicotte's game seven win did not lead to the Sox taking this Fall Classic.

The best-of-nine format was used again in 1920. Only seven games were needed, as Cleveland beat Brooklyn 5-2. Then it was Babe Ruth, who'd taken some cues from Joe Jackson's style of putting the bat on the ball, who took the New York Yankees to three straight World Series.

Only the first was best-of-nine. Ruth had slugged 54 home runs in 1920, and he was just getting started. Ruth's lessons from Jackson were paying dividends. His power was unprecedented in baseball. The Babe had gone from leading the league with merely eleven home runs in 1918 with the Boston Red Sox, to 29 in 1919. Then, as a member of the New York Yankees in 1920, The Sultan of Swat hit 54.

59 more were hit by The Babe in 1921, but it wasn't enough to bring his team the World Series. It was their cross-town rivals the New York Giants, managed by John McGraw, who had the last word. Ruth did all he could. Although he missed two games with injury, the Yankee outfielder hit .313, with a home run and four RBI. The Giants were careful when they pitched to him, giving him five bases on balls. Although it looked liked the American League winners were going to be champions of the world after five games, it was not to be. Down three games to two, the Giants won three straight games to take the Fall Classic, 5-3. In the last game seven of a best-of-nine World Series, the New York Yankees needed Babe Ruth. He didn't play. And his team lost 2-1. Ruth was also needed in game eight, which the Yankees lost 1-0. The star outfielder was able to make only a pinch hitting appearance in the bottom of the ninth. The Bambino grounded out.

But what of the Chicago pitcher, who was one of the first hurler's to use the knuckleball? Well, Eddie Cicotte was kicked out of baseball along with seven other teammates after the 1920 season. Cicotte had over 200 wins to his name, and perhaps a shot at the Hall of Fame (Which would open in 1939). At one point after his baseball career ended in the mid-1920s (He played in the semipros like Swede Risberg and Joe Jackson) Cicotte ended up working for Ford Motor Company. One of the pioneers of a pitch later made famous by Hoyt Wilhelm died on May 5, 1969 in Detroit.

References

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

Fountain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball, OXFORD University Press, New York, NY, 2016, pp. 95–119. 

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

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

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain’t So, Joe!: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Revised ed., Canadian Manda Group, Toronto, ON, 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, Lincoln, NE, 2014, pp. 144–158. 

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

The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL, 2008. 

Morissey, Scott C. 114 World Series in 1 Book. Updated ed., Pandamonium Publishing House, Ancaster, ON, 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. 21 Oct. 2021.

Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. Raincoast, Richmond, BC, 1995. 

Society for American Baseball Research, SABR, https://sabr.org/. 15 Oct. 2021.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 15 Oct. 2021.

Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. “The Faith of Fifty Million People.” Baseball: An Illustrated History, 2nd ed., Random House of Canada. Toronto, ON, 2010, pp. 133–141. 

World Series: Did You Know?

 The top three RBI men on the 1919 Chicago White Sox were suspected or proved fixers.

The winning Cincinnati Reds were led in runs batted in by Pat Duncan, who'd driven in seventeen in only 34 regular season contests in '19, and Edd Roush. Roush had topped the National League with a .321 batting average that year, and driven in 71 runs. Roush had seven runs batted in during the 1919 Fall Classic. But Duncan topped 'em all with eight.

How about the Chicago White Sox? Their top RBI man was none other than Shoeless Joe Jackson. Jackson had 96 RBIs in the regular season, good enough for third in the Junior Circuit. However, he hadn't exactly been known for collecting RBIs when the World Series rolled around. Joe had just two RBIs in the 1917 Fall Classic, which went six games.

Jackson's teammate Chick Gandil had 60 RBIs in the regular season in 1919, which was fairly good as he generally batted in the sixth position. Happy Felsch, the centre fielder, had 86 RBIs in the regular season and tied Joe Jackson for tops on Chicago in home runs with seven.

So, Gandil and Felsch's involvement conjures up no debate. Gandil is believe to be the main man in the fix, and Felsch was heavily involved. Shoeless Joe Jackson's role in the scandal is always hotly contested. According to his grand jury testimony, Joe did indeed accept $5,000 to participate in the fixing of the World Series that year, but swore under oath that he'd tried his best to win.

But did Joe try his best when it mattered?

Jackson reached on an error in the top of the second in the first contest of the 1919 World Series. Actually, the shortstop of Cincinnati, Larry Koft, made a bad throw to first as Joe hit a grounder to him. The miscue resulted in Jackson to second. Joe had done well. He'd led of the inning and gotten into scoring position. Thanks to poor fielding.

But in any event, Happy Felsch hit a sac bunt to get Jackson to third. Then Chick Gandil hit a sac fly of his own to cash in Jackon. The tally tied the game, 1-1, but it was all the home Cincinnati team after that. Final score, 9-1.

The Reds took game 2, 4-2. No one collected an RBI for the visitors. Both White Sox runs scored via errors. Jackson did get three hits, including a double, but was stranded on third twice and second once. Felsch and Gandil had their chances to drive him home. Felsch twice bunted Jackson to third. But with Buck Weaver on third and Jackson on second in the top of the forth in a scoreless game, all Gandil could do was ground to first. Weaver was thrown out trying to score.

Now, in game three in Chicago, the White Sox won 3-0. Shoeless Joe led off the last of the second with a single, but Happy Felsch seemed to make it easy for the Reds. He hit a grounder to first and Jake Daubert fielded. The throw to second was poor, and Jackson made it all the way to third instead of being forced. Felsch pulled up to second on the miscue. On cue, Chick Gandil singled for RBIs two and three. The home team had all the runs they'd need. Jackson got another hit later, but failed to collect an RBI. The only other run driven in was by catcher Ray Schalk, who knocked home Swede Risberg in the bottom of the fourth.

Cincinnati then went into god-mode with their pitching. They beat Chicago 2-0 in game three (Despite hits from Jackson, Felsch and Gandil) via a three-hitter. Then, Hod Eller beat Lefty Williams 5-0 in the fourth contest.

Supposedly, the fixers were now upset that they'd been shortchanged by the gamblers and trying their best in game five. If they were, they sure made things tough on pitcher Dickie Kerr, the winner of the third contest. Since the series was actually best-of-nine rather than seven, Chicago was still alive. But on life support.

And things just seemed to get worse instead of better. Kerr was not good this time around. The Reds got two hits off him in the top of the first, got two more on via a walk an error the next inning, then broke through in the third.

You'd think Kerr would be replaced, but what transpired wasn't all his own undoing. Jake Daubert had singled in the third with one away in the top of the third. Kerr fanned the next batter, only to have Daubert swipe second. Kerr then hit Edd Roush, and Pat Duncan collected two RBIs of his own with a double to right-centre.

Greasy Neal tripled to start the top of the fourth. One out later, pitcher Dutch Reuther doubled to left (Jackson's neck of the woods). Then, Swede Risberg made his second error of the game (He'd total four by the time the Fall Classic was over, leaving no doubt of his intentions). This led to a fourth run, and a huge lead. Try 4-0.

The White Sox pried a run loose in the top of the fifth, but Dickie Kerr made a bad baserunning mistake that ran his team out of the inning. Still 4-1 down, things were looking real grim for the visiting Chicago White Sox. Shoeless Joe was 0-2.

But Buck Weaver got things off on the right foot in the top of the sixth. He doubled to left. Jackson came through, but only with a single for the Sox's second tally. Joe then scored on an double by Felsch to make it 4-3.

Now Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg seemed to want it to get no closer as they made outs one and two of the inning. However, Ray Schalk drove home Felsch with a single to left, 4-4!

Still tied 4-4 in the top of the eight, Joe Jackson and Chick Gandil were able to coax walks from Cincinnati. But Chicago failed to score either as Swede Risberg lined into an inning-ending double play. Hmmm...Swede isn't trying, eh?

Anyways, Chicago won it in extras, but the ugly way. Weaver doubled. Jackson bunted, but more for a hit as he beat it out. Weaver was 90 feet away from breaking the 4-4 deadlock. Felsch fanned. Ah. Chick Gandil did single, but from the looks of things, the ball wasn't exactly hit very well. And would you believe that Risberg again lined into an inning-ending double play? Jackson nailed at first. Not really a good game for two men who were supposedly trying their best. 

And not a good game for the pitcher, either. Although Dickie Kerr went all ten innings for the complete game win, he'd given up four runs, eleven hits and two walks. And he'd hit a batter don't forget.

So, Eddie Cicotte, who was 0-2, was on the hill for Chicago in game seven to try and keep his team's hopes alive. But Eddie was certainly in on the fix, and supposedly, he'd received every last penny he'd ask for. So why would he go out and try?

Well, like Kerr the day before, Cicotte didn't pitch that well. Although Cicotte, too, went all the way (But only nine innings), he allowed seven hits and three walks. It was a very mediocre player, Ivey Wingo, who Eddie couldn't get out if his life depended on it. It made for some very anxious moments (At least, for the White Sox players who still cared).

Shano Collins, not in on the fix, got the ball rolling for Chicago. In their very first time to grab lumber, the White Sox took off. Collins singled. The other Collins, Eddie, bunted him to second. But then Buck Weaver, who failed to collect a single RBI in the 1919 World Series, flied out to second. Shano held. The rally appeared to be dying. Weaver admitted to baseball's first commissioner, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, that he attended two meetings with the players and gamblers prior to the start of the Fall Classic, but did not take a dime. When the smoke cleared, Buck hit .324 for the Fall Classic of 1919, but was suspended for life.

Joe Jackson was also suspended for life. But here, with Shano Collins still at second base, he singled to make it 1-0. Happy Felsch attempted to keep the rally going with the third single of the inning as Jackson was now in scoring position, but Chick Gandil would have none of that. He ended the inning by forcing Felsch at second.

Both Collins' singled to start the third, but then Weaver lined into a double play (Was he borrowing a page from Swede Risberg?) Jackson singled, just like he'd done the last time up. And like last time, it scored Shano Collins from second. 2-0. Felsch forced Jackson. Of the fixers, only Shoeless Joe appears to be trying. I still haven't proved to you Eddie Cicotte is, have I?

Was Cicotte that good in the Fall Classic in the first place? Well, coming into this seventh game, he'd pitched a total of five World Series contests. And while his earned run average was great, 2.52, Eddie had allowed 35 hits in 35 2/3 innings pitched. He'd also lost a game in 1917 and two more in '19 for good measure. So Cicotte was 1-3 lifetime in World Series contests prior to this seventh tilt.

In the fifth inning, it was time for the other Collins to score. Shano Collins was retired to start the frame, but Eddie singled. Buck Weaver reached on an error by the third basemen. Jackson reached, also on an error, but this time it was second basemen Morrie Rath's fault. Felsch came through with a single to score Collins and Weaver (RBIs two and three for Happy). Jackson was now at second. But both runners were stranded as Gandil and Risberg made outs. Chicago wouldn't score again this game.

Cincinnati got two on in the bottom of the inning, but Cicotte stranded them. The next inning, Heinie Groh hit a ground-rule double to left. That's Shoeless Joe's area, remember? One out later, Pat Duncan put a "1" on the Cincinnati side of the scoreboard with a single. There was still plenty of time for a comeback.

Dolf Luque, who relieved Red Fisher (Who'd himself relieved battered starter Slim Sallee in the top of the fifth) in the sixth inning for the Reds, disposed of Weaver, Jackson and Felsch in the seventh, fanning two and getting Shoeless Joe to ground out. Ivey Wingo and Morrie Rath got on for the Reds in the last of that frame, and the tying run was at the dish, the batter being Jake Daubert. However, Jake grounded out to second basemen Eddie Collins.

Swede Risberg reached on a one-out error in the top of the eight, only to be cut down trying for second. Ray Schalk ended the three-batter inning with a grounder to short. Cicotte got the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, but fanned to lead off the ninth. Shano Collins flied out. Eddie Collins grounded out. Dolph Luque had gone four shutout innings, allowed just one hit and fanned five. He hadn't quite emerged as a star yet. Although 10-3 with Cincinnati in 1919 (After being 6-3 the previous season), Dolph had only nine starts to his name. He was basically a relief ace. At least at this point.

Eddie Cicotte was now three outs away from his second career win in the Fall Classic, and Chicago's third win of the 1919 World Series. Quickly, he Larry Koft and Greasy Neal out. But then Ivey Wingo, who'd walked all three trips to the dish in this contest, singled. Sherry Magee batted for Dolph Luque and followed suit. Jimmy Smith ran for Magee. Morrie Rath ended the game by flying out. Chicago had this one, 4-1. It was back to The Windy City for game eight.

But it was Cincinnati that decided it early. They scored four runs in the top of the first to knock Lefty Williams out of the game. Chicago seemed to have something going in the bottom of the frame. Nemo Leibold singled. Eddie Collins, who'd gotten two hits in game seven, delivered the first of his three hits in this contest with a double. But Buck Weaver took a called strike three. Joe Jackson popped it up behind third in foul territory. Leibold should have scored the first Chicago run right there, but for some reason held at third. Felsch fanned to end that.

So by the time Chicago scored via a Jackson solo home run in the bottom of the third, it was 5-0 Cincinnati. The White Sox had a promising bottom of the second, as Risberg walked with one away. Ray Schalk popped up in foul territory, but an error by his counterpart behind the dish (Bill Rariden) gave him life and he singled. But Bill James, the relief pitcher who'd relieved Lefty Williams earlier, batted for himself despite the fact that Chicago was desperate for runs. James popped out and Leibold fanned. So much for another promising inning.

And even there, after Shoeless Joe's long ball, the Reds weren't through. They tacked on a run in the top of the fifth to restore the five-run lead. Then, in the sixth, Edd Roush drove in two more runs, and Pat Duncan added an RBI single. 9-1, just like in game one.

The White Sox continued to hit the ball well, but their offence just kept sputtering. Buck Weaver singled to start the last of the sixth, but all Joe Jackson could do is fly out to deep centre. Felsch and Gandil also were retired on fly balls.

In the last of the eight, with one away, Eddie Collins singled, again. Weaver doubled, but it only got Collins to third. Jackson hit a double, both runners scored. Felsch failed to come through, popping out to first. Gandil hit a triple that Greasy Neal couldn't come up with due to the afternoon sun. Was Gandil trying? In any event, he had his fifth and last RBI of the series. Swede Risberg probably wasn't trying as he hit it to short centre. However, Edd Roush made an error and Gandil scored. No RBI, though. So Chicago scored four runs, their biggest inning of the Fall Classic. Could it be argued it was, "Too little, too late?" Or, Cincinnati made some bad plays? Better fielding by the Reds and the White Sox score two runs, not four.

In any event, Eddie Murphy (Not the actor) pinch hit for pitcher Roy Wilkinson and was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It was still 10-5 for the visitors. Leibold appeared to have a hit, but a fine, diving catch in centre by Roush put an end to that (Redeeming himself from the last frame?). Eddie Collins got another hit. First and second. One away. But Weaver could only fly out. Murphy tagged and runners were now on the corners with two away. Collins then scored as Shoeless Joe Jackson batted. But Joe stranded both runners by grounding out, as the series was over.

So, Gandil, who was for sure involved in the fix, is really the only player that drove in important runs for the White Sox in the 1919 World Series. Since he's a proven fixer, the point is moot. Jackson did drive in six runs, but they all came in games seven, eight and nine. Not that he didn't hit the ball well in the games with no RBI. Joe had three hits in game two, and another two in game three. Jackson also got the only extra-base hit for Chicago in the lost game four. Felsch collected his only RBIs in games six and seven, which the White Sox were supposedly trying to their best (Sans Risberg?).


References

Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball at Its Best. Toronto: Penguin Random House of Canada, 1995. Print.

Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 31 Aug. 2020. Web.

Bock, Hal. The Associated Press Pictorial History of Baseball. Emmaus: JG Press, 1990. Print.

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

Enders, Eric. 100 Years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co, Inc., 2005. Print.

Fountain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. Toronto: Oxford University Press Canada, 2016. Print.

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company, 1992. Print.

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

Halfon, Mark S. Tales from the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2014. Print.

Hornbaker, Tim. Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. New York, NY: Sports Publishing, 2016. Print.

Kalb, Elliott. Who's Better, Who's Best in Baseball: Mr. Stats Sets the Record Straight on the Top 75 Players of All Time. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Canada, 2005. Print.

Mallon, Douglas. The World Series: A Game-By-Game History. Scotts Valley: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (Amazon.com), 2018. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. 12th ed. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1992. Print.

----. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1990. Print.

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

----. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., 2008. Print.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 31 Aug. 2020. Web.

Snyder, John S. World Series! Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1995. Print.

World Series: Did You Know?

Although one of the most prominent members of the fixing of the 1919 Fall Classic, Chick Gandil had the last RBI for his team in three games. I guess Chick knew someone was watching his every move, so he'd better come through on at least some occasions. Even if it helped his team.

Gandil's RBI in game one did little, however. Chicago was on the road, in Cincinnati and absorbed a 9-1 thrashing. Gandil drove in the run that actually tied the game, momentarily, in the top of the second. That run, however, was not only Chicago's lone tally, but unearned for good measure. Joe Jackson, of all people, had reached on an error. Gandil's hit scored him.

But in game two, which the Chicago White Sox also lost (4-2), Gandil didn't drive in any runs. Joe Jackson was on third in the top of the second, with just one out, but Gandil didn't deliver. Two innings later, Jackson was on second, and Buck Weaver was 90 feet away from the dish, at third. Gandil hit into a fielder's choice. Trailing 4-2 going into the top of the 9th, Gandil got a single to lead it off. A double play put the Reds one out away. Ray Schalk singled, but that lead to nothing, as well. Fred McMullin grounded out to end that.

The change of scenery meant Chicago needed to win at home. They did, but needed some fine pitching from Dick Kerr to win, 3-0. Gandil singled home Jackson and Happy Felsch. Gandil led off the fourth by making an out. Swede Risberg tripled and scored on a bunt single for the contest's last tally. Another two hits for Gandil.

But he was needed in the next two games as Chicago's bats went to sleep. Cincinnati won them by scores of 2-0 and 5-0. Chick had just one hit. The White Sox had three, total in each of the two losses. The 1919 World Series was best of nine, so Gandil's team was still alive.

Still, it was a tall order to come back. Game six was back in Cincinnati, and the Reds were determined to settle it. They raced out to a 4-0 lead in the sixth contest. The White scored rallied, and had a chance to take the lead in the eight inning. Jackson and Gandil drew walks, but were both stranded. Dick Kerr, as he had in game two, kept the Reds at bay (Although he allowed four runs). In the top of the tenth, Buck Weaver got it all going with a double. Jackson bunted him to third. Gandil's stroke of the ball didn't leave the infield, but Weaver crossed the plate. Down went the home team in the bottom of the frame. The 5-4 Chicago win narrowed the World Series score to 4-2.

The White Sox won game seven, as well. This time, a little bit more decisively. The final score was 4-1, but the game was never that close. Chicago raced out to a quick 4-0 lead and didn't bother looking back. But Gandil was 0-4, and could have widen the lead with some hits.

And the next game was also decided quickly, but against Chicago. It was 4-0 for the visiting Cincinnati Reds before the home team could even send one man up. And the Sox didn't make it on to the scoreboard until the bottom of the third. The 4-1 lead was soon widened to 10-1 by the bottom of the eighth. Chicago soon plated two runners, but when Happy Felsch was retired, it was two down. Gandil then was at the plate, and he rewarded with a triple, as the Reds' right fielder Greasy Neale couldn't make out where the ball was. The sun blinded him. Joe Jackson, on second, scored to make it 10-4. Gandil then scored when Edd Roush, in centre, made an error on Swede Risberg's fly. Gandil scored. 10-5.

Chicago put another two men on in the bottom of the ninth, but did not get any closer. The Reds, with this win by a margin of five runs, took the 1919 World Series 5-3. Gandil held out the following season, but joined seven other White Sox players banned for life by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis not long after the latter's anointment. He would die in California in 1970. And probably, despite collecting five RBIs all told, never lived down the "Black Sox" label.


References


Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub., 1992. Print, pp. 183.

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain't So, Joe!: The True Story Of Shoeless Joe Jackson. Revised ed. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print, pp 49-124.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print, pp. 76-81.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print, pp. 84-91.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 04 Feb, 2017.