Just the Facts

1. At the end of the trial the jury ruled that Jackson and his team were innocent, therefore being acquitted and absolved of all charges, or at least in theory. The commissioner of baseball disagreed and threw the men out of the game forever, because he felt the need to set a precedent for future players.

2. If Joe's statistics are closely scrutinized, one would see that his batting average during the game was .401, while his overall batting average for the regular season was .365. He actually played better during the World Series. He also did not have a single error through the entire series.

3. Joe Jackson did approach the owner of the Chicago White Sox, Charles Comiskey, and asked to be benched for the series. He was ignored by the owner, but vowed that he would perform his best during the World Series.

4. The commissioner of baseball did not have the authority to overrule a court hearing. He had given himself too much power. No other commissioner had ever held that much power. Jackson accepted the punishment with stoic dignity. He became so disillusioned with the game that he left without a fight.Even though there was no proof that he was one of the players responsible for the game, he knew that it was a battle he was going to lose. 

5. Luckily, the commissioner of baseball has become a little less empowered. They no longer hold enough power to ban baseball players for illegally using steroids. The last player to have been banned from baseball was Steve Howe in 1992, shortly after he was reinstated and played for another four years. The commissioner at the time was Fay Vincent.

6. There is still a lot of speculation as to whether or not "Shoeless" Joe Jackson actually took part in the gambling. There was no evidence, and many believe that he was merely a victim of circumstance. His roommate "Lefty" Ted Williams was the ring leader, and after a bag of $20,000 was found in their room they were both accused. 

7. Up until the day he died, Joe defended himself. He was an honest man from Pickens County, South Carolina. He was never formally educated because his parents wanted him to work to make money for the family.

8. The last player to have been banned for life from baseball was Pete Rose. In 1988 he was suspended for alleged gambling, and finally banned forever a year later after a jury convicted him.

9. Currently Barry Bonds, former player for the San Francisco Giants, was suspected to have been using steroids after he broke the home-run record, held by Hank Aaron. He admitted in front of the grand jury to using a clear liquid and cream, given to him by his trainer. He allegedly thought they were flax seed oil and arthritis balm. Further investigation of Bonds' medical history led authorities to his former girlfriend, who explained that Bonds did blame an elbow injury on steroid use. Bonds is now on trial for perjury. 

10. The integrity of baseball is fading. Baseball should uphold laws and courtroom verdicts. baseball is in no way above the laws that govern this country, a different set of rules does not apply to baseball. So if perjury is illegal in the American system it is illegal for financial executives, fashion designers, doctors, lawyers, Indian Chiefs, as well as baseball players. However, the people who stand to make money from the use of athletes see fit to bend the rules so that they no longer represent what they were intended to in the first place.