 |
| Still a baseball persona non-grata |
Yet
some people are determined to try to reinstate the man who got bounced from
baseball following the 1919 World Series – which the White Sox lost to the
Cincinnati Reds and for which Jackson was one of eight ballplayers later
indicted on criminal conspiracy charges claiming he took money to lose
ballgames.
OF
COURSE, PEOPLE argue that Jackson was acquitted of those charges by a jury in
Cook County, while others will claim that jury was so biased that their verdict
was arguably more ridiculous than some people believe the “not guilty” verdict was
for O.J. Simpson.
The
problem becomes that whatever happened with the World Series that year and
whether Jackson, or any, of the ballplayers took money from gamblers to lose
happened so long ago that just about anybody who knew anything is dead.
This
becomes a “paper trail” investigation that already came up with a result.
Which
is why it would seem baseball officials aren’t about to do anything. Giving us
such non-news headlines on Tuesday as “MLB won’t reinstate Shoeless Joe
Jackson.”
THE
SHOELESS JOE Jackson Museum that operates out of Jackson’s one-time home in
Greenville, S.C., released a letter it received from baseball Commissioner
Robert Manfred saying they don’t intend to do anything to change Jackson’s
status.
 |
| The White Sox' all-time duo ... |
“The
results of this work demonstrate to me that it is not possible now, over 95
years since those events took place,… to be certain enough of the truth to
overturn Commissioner (Kennesaw M.) Landis’ determinations,” which were that
Jackson knew of efforts to throw a World Series and didn’t do anything to stop
it.
Some
claim that Jackson took $5,000 from gambling interests, but somehow managed to
play well – coming up with numbers that indicate he didn’t stink (a high
batting average, and the only home run of that World Series).
While
others say this proves statistics don’t tell the full story, and in fact can be
deceptive.
 |
| ... won't become a trio anytime soon |
ADMITTEDLY,
THE JACKSON Museum has an interest – they’d like it if the guy they promote
were to become an official part of baseball again. Rather than someone whom
baseball would prefer to forget. Just like Pete Rose – who also has a lifetime
ban from baseball for gambling (and a criminal conviction with six-month prison
sentence for tax evasion).
Then
again, I’m sure the White Sox would also like it if they could go back to
publicly acknowledging that one of the greatest ballplayers ever wore their
uniform – and that he could join Luke Appling and Frank Thomas as being among
the greatest White Sox ever.
But
aside from their marketing efforts, would it really change much. Would Jackson
gain any points to his .356 lifetime batting average (second only to Ty Cobb’s
.362)?
Would
the White Sox gain any more wins to their lifetime career? It’s not like we’d
get to change the 1919 World Series result and claim a victory over Cincinnati?
THERE
WOULDN’T BE any one less person sneering or snickering at the White Sox for
being the only team caught throwing a World Series (even though there have been
rumors from other World Series and ballgames in general of that era having
suspicious results).
 |
| Is Jackson plight more about backing Rose? |
Or
anyone thinking any less of Jackson from amongst those people who want to believe
that Shoeless Joe would have been in the Baseball Hall of Fame decades ago – if
only he hadn’t had that World Series stain on his record.
So
I’m sure some people are going to be miffed at baseball officials for not being
willing to resurrect this issue all these years later.
But
barring the discovery of evidence that we can’t even conceive of at this point,
it may be that baseball officials have the right idea in mind to just go
forward. Rehashing the past never changes anything!
-30-
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