Much of what you think you know about the Black Sox scandal is probably wrong.
That’s because much of our collective memory regarding the scandal 100 years ago is based on Eliot Asinof’s 1963 book, “Eight Men Out,” and the 1988 John Sayles film based on it. Some gaffes are easily detected, easily corrected and perhaps of little consequence in the big picture.
For example, Asinof got “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s batting average wrong for 1919. It was .351, not .354.
Other errors are more consequential.
1. The White Sox were not in revolt because they were underpaid.
Part of the legend of the Black Sox scandal, advanced by defense attorneys and endorsed by Asinof, is the romantic notion that White Sox players were looking to throw the World Series because owner Charles Comiskey was a cheapskate who didn’t pay them well enough.
