The Black Sox - 1919 World Series Quiz

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

It was the Cincinnati Reds who were crowned World Series Champions after the smoke of the 1919 fall classic had finally cleared. Unfortunately for them, they're often forgotten by history, because the series is not remembered as much for baseball but for scandal that followed. Rumors of a fix started swirling among gambling circles in the lead-up to the series. Suspicions grew as the series continued.

Eventually the whole thing exploded into one of the biggest sports scandals in American history. It earned eight Chicago players the infamous nickname "Black Sox" and a national spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The scandal involved White Sox players who allegedly conspired with gamblers to throw games in exchange for cash. Eight players were eventually banned from baseball, although their individual roles in the alleged activity varied.

Answer: Best of nine games

The World Series has not always followed the best-of-seven format that baseball fans enjoy every October. The best-of-nine format was used in 1903 and returned for the 1919, 1920, and 1921 World Series. It gave teams more opportunities to settle the championship on the field, although it also meant more games, more opportunities to stress fans out, and more opportunities to wear out the pitchers.

In 1922, baseball returned to the best-of-seven format, which has been used for every World Series since.

Answer: Lose games

The plan behind the Black Sox scandal was to throw the 1919 World Series. This would allow the Cincinnati Reds to beat the heavily favored Chicago White Sox. Why? To bring a big payday to the right gamblers, of course. Several players were implicated in the scheme involving gamblers who promised substantial payouts in exchange for throwing games. It was supposed to be a profitable little side hustle. Instead, it became one of baseball's most notorious scandals.

Answer: Chick Gandil

Chick Gandil was a veteran first baseman, and he became the bad guy among the Chicago White Sox players that were implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. History remembers him as the main organizer who worked to help recruit teammates into the scheme to throw the World Series.

He allegedly had connections to gamblers, including Boston bookmaker Joseph "Sport" Sullivan. It was said that he helped arrange the participation of players in exchange for money. He was no superstar. However, he ended up with the starring role in the whole episode. Ultimately, eight White Sox players were indicted in connection with the scandal.

Answer: Red Faber

Urban "Red" Faber was an established ace for the Chicago White Sox in 1919. He missed the World Series that year, battling a sore arm and recovering from influenza, which left him weakened and underweight. He had been one of the team's best pitchers and had helped Chicago win the 1917 World Series, earning three victories against the New York Giants. His absence became part of the legend of the Black Sox.

With Faber unavailable, manager Kid Gleason relied heavily on Eddie Cicotte and Claude "Lefty" Williams, who just happened to be two of the pitchers implicated in the plot to throw the series. Dickey Kerr provided an alternative, winning two games, but Chicago ultimately lost five games to three. White Sox catcher Ray Schalk later argued that a healthy Faber would have given Chicago enough pitching to win the Series despite the conspiracy. Whether Schalk was right can be (and is) debated, but Faber's absence definitely weakened Chicago's pitching depth and likely made the fix easier to carry out.

Answer: Eddie Cicotte

Eddie Cicotte took the mound for the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the 1919 World Series on October 1, at Redland Field in Cincinnati. Cicotte had had a fabulous regular season, going 29-7 with a 1.82 earned run average. It was the dead ball era, but they're still pretty lofty numbers for any era. Unfortunately for Chicago, his postseason didn't go so well.

He allowed six earned runs on seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings as the Cincinnati Reds coasted to a 9-1 victory. Cicotte's performance became especially controversial after his implication in the scandal.

Answer: Morrie Rath

Morrie Rath was the Cincinnati Reds' second baseman and leadoff hitter. He involuntarily became a sports trivia answer when Chicago pitcher Eddie Cicotte struck him in the back with his second pitch of Game 1 of the 1919 World Series. He ended up scoring the first run of the day. Probably more legend than fact, the story goes that Cicotte deliberately hit Rath as a prearranged signal to gamblers that the fix was in.

However, the evidence is slim. Cicotte would go on to testify that he had intended to walk Rath but hit him by mistake.

The larger plot to throw the series was real, and Cicotte was among the players implicated. However, this is likely just a legend that has made Morrie Rath's unfortunate encounter with a baseball a gift to trivia buffs everywhere.

Answer: Joe Jackson

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson was Chicago's offensive standout in the 1919 World Series. He collected 12 hits in 32 at-bats, scored five runs, drove in six, and hit the only home run of the entire series. His .375 batting average led all players on both teams. Jackson's 12 hits set a World Series record at the time.

His impressive hitting makes his place in the Black Sox scandal complicated. He was one of eight White Sox players banned from professional baseball for life in 1921, despite his performance.

His role in the whole thing is debated to this day.

Answer: Dickey Kerr

Not everyone was throwing games. Allegedly. Dickey Kerr delivered the only shutout by a Chicago White Sox pitcher in the 1919 World Series, keeping the Reds scoreless in Game 3. The rookie left-hander allowed just three hits, walked one batter, and struck out four over nine innings.

His performance stood out in contrast to the suspicious play that surrounded the series. He also won Game 6, a tense 5-4 victory in ten innings, giving him two wins in Chicago's three victories. Despite his work, the White Sox ultimately lost the championship five games to three. Kerr continued pitching in the major leagues for several seasons with modest results.

Answer: False

The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago White Sox five games to three in the 1919 World Series, a best-of-nine series. The series was marked with timely hitting on their part and some great pitching. The win on October 9th marked the franchise's first World Series championship. Thanks to the scandal, however, it came with a very big asterisk next to it.