Black+Sox

= //Eight Men Out:// The Black Sox Scandal  =

Overview:

In 1919, players of the Chicago White Sox allegedly conspired to throw (fix) the world series. According to various sources each did so for very different reasons. However, what is known is that eight players were acquitted in a court of law for conspiring with nefarious characters with the goal of fixing the world series for personal profit. Nevertheless, the commissioner of major league baseball at the time kicked the eight players out of the league for life. None of them would ever play major league baseball again. Historians and sports writers today still argue over who know what and who did what, and for whom? You assignment will be to try and separate reality from fiction. Did the players deserve their fate or did the punishment fit the crime?

Assignment:

After viewing the film: How does the reality of what you researched match up to what you saw in the flim? Write a short essay answering these three questions.
 * 1) What was your overall impression of the film? Briefly describe the plot and major characters.
 * 2) What are the most pronounced similarities and differences between the movie and the research? You need to name only two each.
 * 3) Of all of the ballplayers in the film, who do you think was portrayed as the hero, villain, and victim? Does this match with what you researched or not?

Remember, this should be an essay and NOT simply a paragraph.

This link should provide all of the necessary background information you need to understand the scandal. You will also use it to answer the first set of questions.

Assignment Sheet:

Links: The Black Sox Trial Series Stats 1919 [|Primary Sources]

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