If u where a White Sox player in 1919 & u where offered money to throw away the World Series would you do it?

Question

If you where a Player of the White Sox back in 1919 & you where where offered money to throw away the Series that year would you have joined Shoeless Joe Jackson & the 7 others that where involved in the Scandal Or would you have refused to take part of it?

Answer 1

At that time to get 10 grand to throw the WS was a huge sum of money, more than most of them made while playing for the White Sox, they were playing for a very frugal Owner who was not inclined to throw money around at players, he did not regard his players as the most important people to the organization.  With all that being said I would have probably done it, they all knew that they would probably get into trouble if they were caught but did not expect the severity of the trouble, they made a calculated risk that they would not get caught...even Shoeless Joe (he may have been illiterate but he was not a moron!) and figured that even if they did it would be a slap on the wrist, gambling being involved at the time was not uncommon but everyone figured that was regular season stuff, you do not throw the series.  If you had a chance at doubling your yearly income in 1919 would you have done it.......h**l YEAH!!!

EDIT:  For historical purposes, Great Depression was from 1929-1941.  THe White Sox were founded in 1900 after moving from St. Paul and Sioux City.  Just thought I would help fix some things.

Answer 2

No. I'd want a ring. I'd tell the manager as well. I wouldn't want teammates sabotaging the games.

Answer 3

no i would lose respect from other people

even though it was a lot of money at the time  

Answer 4

I would not have done it.

And thanks for telling people Joe did it. I can't stand uniformed people who say "Joe is innocent." The man ADMITTED to taking money - doesn't get any more guilty than that. It's all easily verifiable but people would rather just say "he's innocent" than take five minutes and research the truth.

PS. Someone needs to explain to t-mac that the "Great Depression" wasn't in 1919. Amazing.

Answer 5

back then, if i were a player and had no idea id get banned for life, id probably take the money. but if i knew id get banned i wouldn't have been a part of it

Answer 6

back then, uh yah i would do it. just for fun.

Answer 7

No.  I would never intentionally play badly.  I would not want to let my team down.  Even if I wouldn't get caught, I couldn't live with myself knowing the truth of what happened.

Answer 8

Tough one. My first instinct would be NO but after some prodding, I'd have probably joined the "eight men out".  That was a $hit-ton of money back then and they were treated really shabbilly by the owner.

Answer 9

Well, it was the Great Depression when it occurred, so everyone would do it. I'm just answering from a 1919 perspective. Back then, you could throw spit balls, and I believe it was the dead-ball era? And I think Shoeless Joe is innocent! Free him into the HOF

Answer 10

No, but I would do it for a s****. Snack!

Wow, I didn't know the Great Depression was going on during the roaring 20's!!

Answer 11

Id refuse and do whatever i could by myself to win it or tell the coach whats going on and try to explain and see what he can do about it.

Answer 12

i would hope i stand with shoeless joe

  let clear him and put him were he belong

  in the HOF

Answer 13

We know about this because we know the MLB did something about it. They didn't make alot back then and needed more money to support themselves and there families. Now I wouldn't take the money but probably back then I would.

Answer 14

I would probably have taken it based on my personal financial situation like if I had a large family to take care of(VERY COMMON THEN). The players were paid peanuts.  Alot of them had other jobs during the off season or just played ball on the side in small towns to make more money.  The players than had a completely different mindset towards the integrity of the game inself.  Winning wasn't as big of a deal as it is today in pro sports.  The pressure wasn't the same on any level of the game.  The greatest player of that era was Ty Cobb and he gambled on the game numerous times!!  So just imagine all of the gambling that went on among the players themselves.  Younger people today for some reason think people in the old days(thanks to grandparents) were all kind and honest people and only a few people like Al Capone that they see in movies were corrupt.  Corruption was usually behind every "legit" business at one time including all forms of government.  No sport has been more fixed then Boxing but every other sport has had their fixes in as well.