I have just recently began taking an interest in MLB; and although the 1919 World Series was well before my time, it causes a great deal of upset to me to read about Shoeless Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver getting refused of their rightful places in the Baseball Hall of Fame. For simply being aware of the fix, not participating in it, I can see that they might have gotten a year's suspension, but not to be disrespected to the degree of not allowing them to play MLB again. These men are gone now, but certainly not forgotten. Their skill and love of the game should be honored. Scandals from nearly 80 years ago should be buried and these two exceptional ball players given the respect due them.
1. "RE: New Baseball Fan Speaks Out"
In response to message #0
We totally agree that Buck and Joe have been punished long and hard enough. We also agree that both men probably should have been punished for a year or two for their supposed crime of guilty knowledge. On that same note.....a lot of other folks including White Sox owner Charles Comiskey should have been punished for that same guilty knowledge as it is pretty much accepted fact that Comiskey knew about the fix after game 1....and quite possibly before game 1.....yet he sits in the Hall of Fame (and rightfully so...for what he did for the game)....yet he went unpunished for the same supposed crime that Jackson and Weaver are out for. We do need to point out though.....that Weaver does not have the stats for Hall of Fame consideration.....he didn't have enough time in the league to qualify for consideration....so the best that can happen to him is to have his name cleared from the Ineligible List. Jackson on the other hand is a shoe in (pardon the pun) for the Hall of Fame once his name has been cleared from the Ineligible List. Jackson did have the time in...and the stats to get him to Cooperstown....that only thing keeping him out is the Commissioner of Baseball.
2. "RE: New Baseball Fan Speaks Out"
In response to message #1
I am a lifelong Sox fan and this subject has interested me for as long as I can remember. I just came across the stories of Rube Benton and Joe Gedeon. Gedeon was suspended 3 months after Landis suspended the Sox players for his "guilty knowledge" of the fix, however, Benton's suspension was lifted by Landis although he admitted to having the same knowledge. Does anyone have more information regarding this? Have these facts been used in any attempts to clear Weaver's name?
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