Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson âShoeless Joeâ Jackson (July 16, 1887 â December 5, 1951), a baseball player banned for his unproven connection to the Black Sox Scandal in professional baseball, was the finest natural hitter Babe Ruth ever saw, and Ruth imitated him. Far from "throwing" the 1919 World Series to the other team, Jackson put in a record-setting performance that was as flawless as practically possible.
Jackson broke records for his batting during the series, and was stellar in his fielding:[1]
| â | Shoelessâ performance for the White Sox in left field was astounding. In 13 fielding opportunities, Jackson made absolutely no errors and threw a Red out at the plate trying to score on a fly ball. Another one of Joeâs throws to home would have been in time had Cicotte not deflected the ball away from catcher Ray Schaulk. If he were to throw the Series, Joe would have made at least one error in 8 games. In this case, not a single botched catch or errant throw. Of the 12 errors the White Sox made, 9 were owned by the other 7 Black Sox. Shoeless Joe played flawlessly in left field. | â |
Shoeless Joe was the victim of judicial activism and collusion by owners. He was acquitted at trial, but without doing any investigation Commissioner Landis made him the scapegoat for misconduct by others. Shoeless Joe then won a civil case against the White Sox, but the judge tossed out the jury verdict.
Judge Landis, the perpetrator of this injustice, had previously been overturned for an activist ruling against Standard Oil. In agreeing to become baseball commissioner, he insisted on absolute power, and then he abused it.
The House of Representatives passed a resolution by voice vote in 1999 demanding Jackson's exoneration,[2] and many politicians over the years (including conservative ones) have insisted likewise.
A museum is maintained to this day for Shoeless Joe in South Carolina in a home.