Topics in Chronicling America - The Chicago “Black Sox” Scandal

"Striiiike! 8 Men Out!" Soon after the Cincy Reds win the 1919 World Series rumors spread that gamblers paid eight Chicago White Sox players (later nicknamed The Black Sox) to "throw" the game. An investigation is launched and though a grand jury acquits the players, they're banned from playing professional baseball ever again. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• October 10, 1919: The Cincinnati Reds defeat the Chicago White Sox in game 8 of the World Series, making the Reds the 1919 Series champions.
• September 1920: Rumors spread that the Series had been fixed, and an investigation is begun into the allegations. Several White Sox players admit to participation in the scandal, and eight of the players are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the public.
• July 18 1921: The players are brought to trial.
• August 2, 1921: The jury finds the players not guilty, but they are subsequently banned by the national baseball commissioner from playing professionally.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] White Sox, Black Sox, World Series, fix, Cincinnati, Reds, Comiskey, Abe Attell, acquit.
• To narrow results, search between October 1919 and August 1921.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "White Sox Favored to Win World's Championship," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), September 28, 1919, Page 22, Image 22, col. 1.
• "Reds World's Champs," The Democratic Banner (Mt. Vernon, OH), October 10, 1919, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
• "Comiskey Insists Sox Put Forth Best Effort," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), December 16, 1919, Page 14, Image 14, col. 8.
• "Baseball Probers Watch White Sox," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), September 24, 1920, Page 20, Image 20, col. 1.
• "Grand Jury Finds World Series 'Fixer'," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), September 25, 1920, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
• "Eight White Sox are Indicted," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), September 29, 1920, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
• "Abe Attell May be in this City," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), September 30, 1920, Page 15, Image 15, col. 1.
• "Hoyne off to Chicago with Proof of Ball Plot; Jury to Sift all Games," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), October 1, 1920, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Comiskey Severs all Relations with Seven Indicted Players," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), March 17, 1921, Page 12, Image 12, col. 5.
• "Black Sox in Chicago Court," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), July 9, 1921, Page 11, Image 11, col. 3.
• "Says Black Sox Crossed Bribers," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), July 20, 1921, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
• "Burns Calls Series Plot Players' Idea," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 22, 1921, Page 1, Image 1, col. 4.
• "Reds Disregarded, Black Sox decided when to win or not," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), July 23, 1921, Page 10, Image 10, col. 1.
• "Jury Acquits White Sox After 2 Hours," The New York Tribune (New York, NY), August 3, 1921, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
• "Ball Players Acquitted by Chicago Jury," The Columbia Evening Missourian (Columbia, MO), August 3, 1921, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
• "Jury's Verdict does not Open Gates to Former White Sox Players," The Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), August 4, 1921, Page 18, Image 18, col. 1.