The 1919 Black Sox scandal that nearly killed baseball
Sports11 min

The 1919 Black Sox scandal that nearly killed baseball

How gamblers conspired with players to throw the World Series, the trial and lifetime bans that followed, and how the sport clawed back its credibility.

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Show notes

Eddie Cicotte signaled the fix by hitting the leadoff batter in the back with a pitch.

Shoeless Joe Jackson accepted a five thousand dollar bribe despite hitting a record twelve hits.

Gamblers failed to pay the promised seventy to one hundred thousand dollars to the players.

Signed confessions from the grand jury investigation mysteriously vanished and were later found with a lawyer.

The jury acquitted all defendants in less than three hours before celebrating at dinner with them.

Commissioner Landis permanently banned eight players despite their legal acquittal to restore public trust.

In this episode
  1. 01Intro1 min
  2. 02The Pillow and the Signal3 min
  3. 03The Big Bankroll and the Eight3 min
  4. 04The Vanishing Evidence3 min
  5. 05The Iron Rule of Judge Landis2 min
  6. 06Outro1 min
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