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Fraudulent Activity In Baseball History

Mike Kirk
Prof Correa
Egl 102, Sect 010
May 9,2007
Research Paper Draft # 1

Fraudulent Activity In Baseball History

Since baseball has been around, many amazing things have happened. From players breaking records to countless highlights, baseball is unquestionably one of America’s favorite pastimes. Although there are so many fond memories that the game of baseball has to offer us, there are also a couple of blemishes on its record. For example, in 1919, the Chicago White Sox fixed the World Series. Eight members of the team participated in the fix. Also on the list is the current issue of steroid use. It is not surprising to hear a story on ESPN news that another baseball player has tested positive for steroids. One all-star, Jose Conseco, admitted to using steroids and even Barry Bonds is in question. Even though the two offenses are quite different in nature, they have both left a lasting impression on the game.
According to the website www.Sportingnews.com, the 1919 World Series was not played by every participant, as was disclosed late in the 1920 season when the confessions were made. Eight members of the team, starting with Eddie Cicotte, Claude Williams, Joe Jackson, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Fred McMullin, were convicted of conspiring to fix the outcome of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
The situation started to take shape as soon as the odds started to go haywire. Suddenly the Chicago White Sox were the underdogs, when they were the clear favorite the previous days and weeks before then. For some reason, it soon became forgotten and the fans began to accept the odds. Soon after the World Series was played, questions arose as to how Joe Jackson had bat .375 in the serious, but always struck out in key situations. Players such as Williams and Cicotte had lost three starts and had two errors in the fifth inning of game four respectively. Felsch and Risberg had only bat .192...