可笑的黑色絲帶 III - Black Sox Scandal(The Series)

世界大賽

Even before the Series started on October 1, there were rumors amongst the gambling community that things were not square, and the influx of money being bet on Cincinnati caused the odds against them to fall rapidly. These rumors also reached the press box where a number of correspondents, including Hugh Fullerton of the Chicago Herald and Examiner and the ex-player and manager Christy Mathewson, resolved to compare notes on any plays and players that they felt were questionable. Despite the rampant rumors, the gamblers continued to wager heavily against the White Sox and arranged to have the players signal their willingness to go through with the fix. On the second pitch of the Series, Eddie Cicotte struck Cincinnati leadoff hitter Morrie Rath in the back.
即使在十月一號世界大賽開始之前，有些球賽並不公正的謠言在賭博區裡傳來傳去，並且賭辛辛那提贏賭注的匯集造成他們的賠率快速地下降。這些謠言傳到了多數特派員的記者席，其中包含了Chicago Herald and Examiner的Hugh Fullerton以及前任球員現任總教練的Christy Mathewson，他們決心要對照紀錄關於任何他們覺得有問題的舉動以及球員們。儘管謠言滿天飛，賭徒還是繼續下重注賭白襪輸並且安排使球員表示他們願意放水。在世界大賽中的第二球，Eddie Cicotte 砸中了辛辛那提首棒打者Morrie Rath的背。

The extent of Jackson's participation in the conspiracy remains controversial. Jackson maintained that he was innocent, especially in his last words, which were "I'm about to face the greatest umpire of all, and He knows I am innocent." He had a .375 batting average, claimed to have thrown out five baserunners, and handled thirty chances in the outfield with no errors during that series. However, he batted far worse in the five games that the White Sox lost, amassing a batting average of .268 in those games. He totaled three RBIs, from a home run and a double in game 8, when the Reds had a large lead and the series was all but over. But a check of the stats reveals that Jackson nearly had five RBIs in Game 8 alone, but a long foul
ball was caught at the fence with runners on second and third, depriving Jackson of a chance to drive in the runners. The stats also show that in the other games the White Sox lost, only five of Jackson's at bats came with a man in scoring position, and he advanced the runners twice.
Jackson在這樁陰謀中涉入的程度仍然有爭議的。Jackson堅稱他是無辜的，特別是他最後的證詞：「我面對幾乎是最偉大的法官之一，而且他知道我是無辜的。」在世界大賽中他的打擊率是.375，主張已經助殺了五個跑者，並且三十個守備機會裡沒有發生任何失誤。然而，他在白襪輸掉的五場比賽表現的特別爛，累積的打擊率只有.268。他總計3分打點，3分都是在第八場比賽的一隻全壘打跟一隻二壘打，當紅人已經大幅領先而且世界大賽幾乎就要結束了。不過查看統計數據顯示Jackson幾乎達成單場五分打點，但一個深遠的界外飛球在牆外被接殺當時二、三壘都有跑者，剝奪了Jackson清壘的機會。統計數據也顯示在其他白襪輸掉的比賽中，Jackson只有五次得點圈打擊的機會，並且其中兩次他推進了跑者。

Jackson - generally considered a strong defensive player - was unable to prevent a critical two-run triple to left during the series (in fact, during the series three triples were hit to left where Jackson was playing, despite the fact that most triples get hit to right or right-center). Jackson told sportswriter Westbrook Pegler that he had "only poked at the ball" during many World Series at-bats. Most damningly, Jackson took $5000 from the gamblers. After the series was over, he tried to give the money back on multiple occasions, but by that time the damage had been done.
Jackson - 普遍認為是個防守很好的球員 - 無法守下一隻關鍵性帶有兩分打點的三壘安打在這一系列賽事中(事實上，在這系列比賽當中三隻三壘安打落在Jackson防守的左外野，然而大部分的三壘打確實都落在右外野或中右外野方向)。Jackson告訴運動專欄作家Westbrook Pegler說在許多世界大賽的打數中他都已經"只有用力揮擊球了"。最該死的是，Jackson從賭徒那邊收下了五千美元。在這一系列賽事結束後，他多次試著要把錢歸還，但那時候傷害已經造成了。

One play in particular has been subjected to much scrutiny. In the fifth inning of game 4, with a Cincinnati player on second, Jackson fielded a single hit to left field and threw home. The run scored and the White Sox lost the game 2-0.Chick Gandil, another leader of the fix, later admitted to yelling at Cicotte to intercept the throw. Cicotte, whose guilt is undisputed, made three errors in that fifth inning alone.
特別是一個舉動已經受到許多詳細的檢查。在第四戰的第五局，辛辛那提的跑者攻佔二壘，Jackson擋下了一個打到左外野的一壘安打並且回傳到本壘。跑者得分而最終白襪以2比0輸掉了這場比賽。小雞Gandil，另一個放水的領導者，稍後承認對著Cicotte喊叫是為了攔截那個回傳球。Cicotte，他的罪是沒有爭議的，在五局就製造了三次失誤。

Another argument, presented in the book Eight Men Out, is that because Jackson was illiterate, he had little awareness of the seriousness of the plot, and thus he consented to it only when Risberg threatened him and his family. Jackson accepted money in the fix and, on the advice of his lawyers, pleaded guilty in the ensuing trial.
另一個在"八人出局"一書中被提出來的爭議是因為Jackson並未受過教育，他不太了解這個陰謀的嚴重性，而因此他同意這樣做只是當Risberg威脅他及他的家人時。Jackson在放水的過程中接受了金錢，根據律師的建議，在接踵而至的審判中俯首認罪。