The Fate of the Black Sox

August 2, 1921. Hundreds wait inside a Chicago courthouse for the verdict. Seven Chicago White Sox players are accused of intentionally throwing the World Series, losing on purpose to collect a payout. For decades, gambling has been a part of America's pastime, but this fix is too big to ignore. The nation feels betrayed, yet is transfixed by the scandal, spending months following the whirlwind case. Today, the 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal comes to a head. How do these baseball players conspire to intentionally lose the World Series? And will their punishment be enough to root out gambling in the sport forever? Special thanks to Charles Fountain, author of The Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball, and Jacob Pomrenke, Director of Editorial Content for the Society of American Baseball Research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.