Of the Chicago White Sox ten hits in game two of the 1919 World Series, eight came via suspected or proven fixers! Ray Schalk, who did make the Hall Of Fame, got the other two. The gamblers may well have been double-crossed, this early!
It was one of those games. Cincinnati only got four hits, and made three errors to Chicago's one. But at the end of the day, the game belonged to the Reds by a score of 4-2.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Eddie Collins drew a walk of Cincy's Slim Sallee. But Buck Weaver grounded into a double play. Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson, although thrown out of the game after the 1920 season, gave an honest effort here!
After Cincinnati went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame, up stepped Jackson to start things off in the second. And did he come through. He sent a blue darter to center field and wound up on second. Happy Felsch, a fixer, bunted Joe to third. But Chick Gandil, still another fixer, grounded out to first and Joe held at third. Swede Risberg, yet another fixer, was out on a fly to right.
Williams had another 1-2-3 inning, and Schalk was up in the top of the third. He was the first out. Lefty Williams was the next batter. Pitching well for a fixer. Or by anyone's standards. Now, as a hitter, Lefty stroked a single to center. Shano Collins lined out and Eddie Collins grounded out.
Williams the pitcher fixer, had his third straight 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third. Then, in the top of the fourth, Weaver and Jackson showed their true worth!
Weaver singled to right, Jackson singled to left. Felsch again bunted successfully. It must have seemed like the guilty were really on their game! Gandil hit a ground ball to first, and Weaver tried to score. He was out at home. Jackson made it to third. Gandil then surprised everyone by stealing second. Risberg popped to first.
The Reds got to Williams in the bottom of the frame as they scored three times, and Chicago went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 5th. Now, it was looking all fixed! Risberg made an error with a man on in the bottom of the inning. But Williams got the Sox out of it.
Eddie Collins grounded out in the top of the sixth, but Weaver then hit a double of his own. Jackson then fanned. Was he trying? Slim Sallee then did something interesting. He balked with Felsch up. Happy actually gave this one quite a ride, but was out on a long fly to center.
Williams wasn't trying hard enough in the bottom of the frame, however. The Reds got another run off him to make it a 4-0 Cincinnati lead. The Reds then surprisingly ran themselves out of the inning when a runner was caught stealing! In the top of the 7th, Chicago came back a bit.
Gandil grounded out, but fellow fixer Risberg finally came through. He singled. Schalk came through finally, as well. He singled. The Reds then took a cue from Chicago.
Greasy Neale made an error on the throw to second and Risberg scored somehow. The play was not over. Schalk kept going. Heinie Groth, the third basemen saw what was transpiring. But an error by him, and suddenly, it was only 4-2 Cincy. Who's throwing the 1919 World Series now?
Williams also saw all this and must have felt threatened. No way could his team come back and win. So he fanned. Shano Collins flew out to center. Williams went back to pitching well and got the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 7th.
Eddie Collins flew out to start the eighth, and Buck Weaver grounded out. But just when things looked hopeless, there was the "star" of Field Of Dreams. Shoeless Joe lined it hard to first basemen Jake Daubert, who made a fine play with just one hand to knock the ball down. It was a race between Jackson and the pitcher. Joe won. Daubert threw too late, and wide. Jackson made it to second on the throw. The play was scored a single and a throwing error by the first basemen. Felsch then hit a line shot of his own to third. Heinie Groh did as Jake did and knocked the thing down. But his throw was low. Daubert made a fine play to scoop it out. Cincinnati has almost blown their own brains out here! But the Reds were out of the inning.
Williams only faced three men again in the bottom of the 8th, but this time he needed help. A fine double play erased a single. But now Chicago was only three outs away from going down two games to none!
Gandil, perhaps having a change of heart, led off with a single. Risberg was sticking to the plan and hit into a double play. Schalk would have none of it and got his second hit of the game, a single. Then it was time for another fixer to make his first appearance of the 1919 World Series. A fixer batted for another fixer. Seems sort of fitting. Fred McMullin batted for Williams and sent a ground ball to second. Fred was out at first on the throw and the Reds won game two, 4-2.
Not all of the White Sox gave an honest effort in the 1919 World Series. But they did give it one heck of a try in game two. While this game was thrown in all likelyhood, Chicago did a lot of things right. But they made sure to lose this game and four others!
With one out in the top of the first inning, Eddie Collins drew a walk of Cincy's Slim Sallee. But Buck Weaver grounded into a double play. Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson, although thrown out of the game after the 1920 season, gave an honest effort here!
After Cincinnati went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame, up stepped Jackson to start things off in the second. And did he come through. He sent a blue darter to center field and wound up on second. Happy Felsch, a fixer, bunted Joe to third. But Chick Gandil, still another fixer, grounded out to first and Joe held at third. Swede Risberg, yet another fixer, was out on a fly to right.
Williams had another 1-2-3 inning, and Schalk was up in the top of the third. He was the first out. Lefty Williams was the next batter. Pitching well for a fixer. Or by anyone's standards. Now, as a hitter, Lefty stroked a single to center. Shano Collins lined out and Eddie Collins grounded out.
Williams the pitcher fixer, had his third straight 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third. Then, in the top of the fourth, Weaver and Jackson showed their true worth!
Weaver singled to right, Jackson singled to left. Felsch again bunted successfully. It must have seemed like the guilty were really on their game! Gandil hit a ground ball to first, and Weaver tried to score. He was out at home. Jackson made it to third. Gandil then surprised everyone by stealing second. Risberg popped to first.
The Reds got to Williams in the bottom of the frame as they scored three times, and Chicago went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 5th. Now, it was looking all fixed! Risberg made an error with a man on in the bottom of the inning. But Williams got the Sox out of it.
Eddie Collins grounded out in the top of the sixth, but Weaver then hit a double of his own. Jackson then fanned. Was he trying? Slim Sallee then did something interesting. He balked with Felsch up. Happy actually gave this one quite a ride, but was out on a long fly to center.
Williams wasn't trying hard enough in the bottom of the frame, however. The Reds got another run off him to make it a 4-0 Cincinnati lead. The Reds then surprisingly ran themselves out of the inning when a runner was caught stealing! In the top of the 7th, Chicago came back a bit.
Gandil grounded out, but fellow fixer Risberg finally came through. He singled. Schalk came through finally, as well. He singled. The Reds then took a cue from Chicago.
Greasy Neale made an error on the throw to second and Risberg scored somehow. The play was not over. Schalk kept going. Heinie Groth, the third basemen saw what was transpiring. But an error by him, and suddenly, it was only 4-2 Cincy. Who's throwing the 1919 World Series now?
Williams also saw all this and must have felt threatened. No way could his team come back and win. So he fanned. Shano Collins flew out to center. Williams went back to pitching well and got the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 7th.
Eddie Collins flew out to start the eighth, and Buck Weaver grounded out. But just when things looked hopeless, there was the "star" of Field Of Dreams. Shoeless Joe lined it hard to first basemen Jake Daubert, who made a fine play with just one hand to knock the ball down. It was a race between Jackson and the pitcher. Joe won. Daubert threw too late, and wide. Jackson made it to second on the throw. The play was scored a single and a throwing error by the first basemen. Felsch then hit a line shot of his own to third. Heinie Groh did as Jake did and knocked the thing down. But his throw was low. Daubert made a fine play to scoop it out. Cincinnati has almost blown their own brains out here! But the Reds were out of the inning.
Williams only faced three men again in the bottom of the 8th, but this time he needed help. A fine double play erased a single. But now Chicago was only three outs away from going down two games to none!
Gandil, perhaps having a change of heart, led off with a single. Risberg was sticking to the plan and hit into a double play. Schalk would have none of it and got his second hit of the game, a single. Then it was time for another fixer to make his first appearance of the 1919 World Series. A fixer batted for another fixer. Seems sort of fitting. Fred McMullin batted for Williams and sent a ground ball to second. Fred was out at first on the throw and the Reds won game two, 4-2.
Not all of the White Sox gave an honest effort in the 1919 World Series. But they did give it one heck of a try in game two. While this game was thrown in all likelyhood, Chicago did a lot of things right. But they made sure to lose this game and four others!
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