o/ol 12,

By Robert W. Greier Jr. ome stories in life are just hard to tell. Not that they' re not good stories, mind you, not that they're not real, nor that they lack for in­ terest. An example would be the story of Pearl Harbor in 1941, and the surprise attack by the Japanese Empire on the American Pacific Fleet. It's a good story that begs for your attention, that pulls on your patriotic heartstrings. But it's a hard story to tell, be­ cause any way you go about it, we still lose. Cancel the Hollywood ending, history does not al­ low tnose souls riding into the sunset. Any telling of the Titanic must include the ship going down, ditto the Andrea Gail in "The Perfect Storm." After watching JFK numer­ ous times, I sti11 find that he's going to die, regardless of now badly I want the happy ending. The winning White Sox team in the 1917 are pictured here. Players circled are, front, "Buck" Weaver; first row, Eddie Ci­ Yes, some stories in life are cotte, Fred McCullim, Hap Felsch, Jackson; back row, Swede Risberg, Chick Gandill and Oaude ''Lefty'' Williams. just hard to tell. Greenville, S. C. dub offered Joseph Jefferson Jackson him a minor league contract was born in South Carolina in 1908 at double his mill on July 16, 1887, born into salary. poverty at a place where Unfortunately, David was poverty was the norm, where involved in a machinery acci­ young men typically had lit­ dent at the mill, one that took tle schooling, going to work his and proper walk­ in the fields or mills at an ing careers in one fell swoop. early age. Joe's friends were Joe thrived in Greenville, hard-working illiterates as playing before his home peo­ were his family, his father, six ple with his special bat, brothers and two sisters em- "Black Betsy." . ployed at the mill with Joe. His prowess on the minor Having an education in Bran­ league fields now captured don Mill, South Carolina the attention of the major around the turn of the centu­ leagues, and Joe's contract ry was' considered unusual was bought up by Connie and marginally weird. Mack's Athletics. Jackson One of Joe's favorite pas­ nervously boarded the train times was playing baseball for Philadelphia, then turned for the company team where around in Richmond and his natural instincts and de­ headed back to Greenville. veloping batting style made He wasn't ready for the White Sox first baseman Chick Gandill slides into second base in this photo taken during the 1919 him a star. Along with his north. Mack, the owner and brother David, Joe became World Series with the Cincinnati Reds at . White Sox owner be­ manager of the Athletics, was came a wealthy man, making money in every facet of the running of his ball park. One example was the sensation of the league, determined to have the so much so that the his bottling of the pop sold in the stadium and pocketing the money. The players, however, lived at See Shoeless, page 4 poverty level, and despised the owner fur his greed c;i-. oo-. coo ...... o.~.o '"t:" c-.... o ~ . . . "";,...("),:.....:-,...;..,,;.-,·,....,

Charles Comiskey, the own­ The outfield had "Shano" · son, ~ealizfug that something fan vote on the best starting er of the White Sox, Collins in right, "Happy" wasn't on the up and up, outfield ever for the Cleve­ ~=~~-·~Shoeless ~ r}5f!r for $65,000. With this acqui­ Felsch in center and Shoeless screamed out, "You'll p1ay, land Indians. Eighty six "";;~~"'~ sition Comiskey had put to­ Joe Jackson in left. It was Jackson, you'll play!" years after his last game as a gether the most formidable easily the best team, coasting And play Jackson did, hit­ Cleveland Indian, Joe Jack­ y:oung slugger, so much so lineup in the short history of to the pennant in 1919 with­ ting over .300 in the series. son's name appeared as the that lie sent a man down to the American League. out much of a struggle. But But the Sox still lost the fall starting left fielder. collect him. For Joe, Chicago should as the year progressed be­ classic which was a best of After a few games with have been an even more fore record crowds, the play­ nine games affair, in eight "Do not be remembering the the Athletics, Jackson was comfortable fit than Cleve­ ers became more frustrated, games. Afterwards, Joe most natural man ever to wear once again high tailing it land, the draw of brighter more fractional. asked for a meeting with spiked shoes. home on a train. He' dnad lights, more theaters, and a Comiskey was making a Comiskey to admit to , "The canniest fielder and the his feelings hurt by his team­ cl:lance at a world series pen­ killing, while most of the but wasn't granted that longest hitter who squatted on mates who had been unmer­ nant. In the backdrop of the ]'.>layers made half of what meeting. his heels. ciful in their teasing of his il­ burlesque shows, Joe shone their counterparts on the During the 1920 season "In a uniform muddied at literacy. Connie Mack now brighter, playing left field National League champion the prior world series be­ the knees, 'till the bleacher took and batting clean-up; He Reds were making. came the focus of a criminal shadows grew long behind him. under his wing, even offer­ was adored by the 11.ome­ The art of throwing a investigation. Joe, along "Who went along with ing to have a tutor teach town fans and paid their game in the major leagues with two of his teammates, Chick and Buck and Happy be­ Jackson to read and write adoration back by hitting his wasn't new to baseball. In an Cicotte and Williams, admit­ cause (Shoeless got the nickname baseball prime and helping era where boxing matches ted to a grand jury their "they treated him so friendly in Greenville after playing a to carry the team into the and horse races were fixed roles in the fix. The city of like, hardly like Yankees at all. _p~me in his socks because . as commonly as a gin and Chicago, along with the rest "With Williams because For all the joy that Chica­ tonic, baseball wasn't im­ of the nation, was crushed Lefty was from the South too, ms new cleats had raised 11 blisters on his feet). go should have brought, mune, but the act was cer­ by the news that baseball, And with Risberg because But Joe was too stubborn Jackson was still unhappy. tainly still a novelty. Those the All-American sport, the Swede was such a hard guy. and set in his ways for any The best team in baseball de­ in the baseball community could have been corrupted. "Who made an X for his of that, and after two years spised their owner for his were aware of players wlio Joe, now completely baf­ name and couldn't argue with greediness; whatever hatred would drop a ball at a terri­ fled by events happening Comiskey's sleepers. Mack gave up on Jackson, 11 selling him to the Cleveland was left over they heaped on bly inopportune point in the around him, was brought up But who could pick a line Naps in 1910. each other. It was so intense game for their team in return on charges along with seven drive out of the air ten feet out­ It was in Cleveland that that , their Hall for a payoff, although know­ of his teammates. When the side the foul line. Shoeless Joe Jackson began of Fame second baseman, ing and proving were dis­ confessions came up miss­ "And rifle anything home to show the talent that Con­ wasn't thrown a warm-up tant practices. Managers and ing, along with any copies, from anywhere in the park. nie Mack had hoped and ball all season by any of the owners kept their dirty little Joe and hls fellow conspira­ "For Shoeless Joe is gone, searched for. In 1913 Joe's other infielders. secrets tidied up under the tors were found not guilty long gone, a long yellow grass slugging percentage reached Joe was the outcast again, rug for fear of turning off the by a jury of their peers. The blade between his teeth. .551. Then in 1915, the year the brunt of all the cruel ticket buying public. jury was comprised of all "And the bleacher shadows the Naps became the Indi­ jokes, the mill hand from How the fix came about is men from Chlcago who behind him ... " ans, Joe batted .408, finish­ Brandon Mill. a complicated maze of play­ wanted to see their favorite -Nelson Algren ing second in average only Only on the field did Joe ers seeking out gamblers, team back on the field in to the tremendous hltter Ty seem truly happy, the White gamblers foraging for cash 1921. To Joe, this was to be Arbaugh-Pearce Cobb. Sox winning the series in in their domain, and players the end of the nightmare and It was in Cleveland that 1917 behind a blast from his convincing their fellow . a new beginning. eeni~eri "Black Betsy" and surerb ballplayers to go along with But it was not to be. The r Funeral Joe also acquired a taste for G Home the finer thlngs in life. Fine pitching. But it was a hollow the idea out of greed. The new commissioner, Judge clothes, eateries and the new victory for Joe and the team idea was put to Joe simply, , RAY J. GREENISEN 332 .. 4401 OWNER novelty of motion pictures who were the worst paid in terms lie' d understand. threw all eight of the grabbed at his imagination. players in the league. Either he went along with ballplayers out of baseball -PERSONAL RECORDS In 1915 Shoeless Joe's con­ Comiskey had even gone so his buddies and got $10,000 for life, ending Shoeless tract was purchased by far as requiring the players dollars or he didn't go Joe's reign as the best all &PLANNING BOOK to launder their own uni­ along, the Sox still lost the around player in baseball. Because your last wishes forms. When the players re­ series and he got nothing. Joe, dismayed at this turn of volted by not laundering Swede Risberg, the short­ events, wound up playing are so important 1them either, the myth of the sto:r, was the one· who some minor league baseball r~ This FREE ;; "Black Sox" was formed. pitched it to Shoeless Joe. over the next few years un­ f;~ In 1918 the nation was at Afterwards, when asked der assumed names. He was : i Record war in Europe, depleting about the fix, Joe would only always found out though, I major league rosters. In that say, "Swede (Risberg) was a his skill on the diamond g!v­ ·i~~~~ Book Allows •· .. ~1">1! season, the Boston Red Sox hard guy." ing him away. Eventually he ••u••·--·...· .. ., ...... I You To: won their last world series The first day of October returned to Greenville where ~: Yeste~ears i of the 20th century behind 1919 opened with sunshine he spent his declining years •Fill In Vital Information ~~ A hist~rical journal • the pitching of their ace, and warmth in Cincinnati, a running a liquor store. • Pre-Plan Your Funeral ~c Published every \2:. George Hermann Ruth, the day that would see their once stopped in • Select The Funeral You Wish -,.. Tuesday ~ big kid from Baltimore they beloved "miracle Reds" play Joe's store to buy a fifth of ~ ··! • Relieve Your Family of Worry ,~"; by the Salem News ~(), called Babe. the heavily favored White bourbon. After the usual I In 1919 the White Sox re­ Sox from Chicago. By game banter between customer Do This For The Ones You Love ~ Founded June 199 li turned to their 1917 form be­ time, scalpers were getting and proprietor, Ty, some­ Please send us: hind the pitching arms of 50 bucks a ticket out in front what put out by Joe's not Q The Family Personal Record Book. and Claude of the stadium, while a glum recognizing him, asked, Q Information on Inflation-Proof :: 161 N. Lincoln Ave. ) "Lefty" Williams. The in­ Joe sat on the visitors bench, "Don't you know, me, Joj;:??" Funeral Pre-Plan. field, comprised of "Buck" a dismal look on his face. "Sure, I know you Ty.. .I Q Information about funeral costs, rJ Salem, Ohio 44460 .(;; procedures ~- Weaver at third, "Swede" , the coach, hap­ just-didn't figure any of you I·~ Phone 332-4601 ·-·:;'.·: .. . ·';<',, Risberg at shortstop, Eddie pened to amble past, and in­ from up there wanted to rec­ Name·------~ Lois !Fimt;one ' 'f Collins at second and quired as to what was wrong ognize me again." Address ______'Etfitor . "Chick" Gandill at first was with Joe. Joseph Jefferson Jackson City ______far and away the best field­ "I don't want to play, and died on December 5, 1951. ing and hitting infield in you can tell the boss that, During the current season State _____..... ,ip ___ baseball. too," Joe responded. Glea- the Cleveland Indians ran a Phone