• The 1919 World Series resulted in the most famous scandal in baseball history.

• Eight players from the Chicago White Sox (later nicknamed the Black Sox) were accused of throwing the series against the Cincinnati Reds.

• The 1919 World Series was expected to generate 50% more revenue than any other previous World Series.

• Opportunity for large profit was on the rise, due to attendance increase.

William Burns• William “Sleepy Bill”

Burns was an ex major league pitcher.

• Will had the connection with White Sox players.

Billy Maharg• Bill had the gambling

connections underground.

Rothstein and Attell

• Arnold Rothstein was the most successful and well known gambler in America.

• Rothstein’s bodyguard, Abe Attell relayed messages between Rothstein and Bill Maharg.

• Rothstein agreed to give Maharg $100,000 to fund the conspiracy.

• The gamblers bet nearly half a million dollars on the Cincinnati Reds, while agreeing to pay the players of the White Sox $100,000 to split.

• Fred McMullin was a infielder who was one of the eight players accused.

Throwing The Game

• Chicago lost the first game 9-1, and the second game 4-1.

• After the second game, the players not involved in the fix were beginning to get suspicious.

• White Sox catcher Ray Schalk knew something was wrong with the pitching.

Second Thoughts

• After the first two games, the White Sox conspirators were only paid $10,000 and began to wonder whether or not they should continue to lose.

• Chicago won the third game 3-0.

Unexpected Turn

• Many of the gamblers bet on individual games and lost a large amount of money after the third game.

Continuing The Series

• Chicago lost the fourth game 2-0 and the fifth game 5-0.

• Eddie Cicotte pitched the fourth game and made several errors.

Change Of Pace

• After the fifth game, the gamblers missed another payment.

• The White Sox conspirators realized they had no reason to lose.

• Every player on the White Sox tried as hard as they could to win the remainder of the games.

• Chicago won the sixth game 5-4 and the seventh game 4-1.

The Threat

• Arnold Rothstein had an enormous sum of money on Chicago to win the World Series

• Claude Williams was pitching the ninth and final game of the world series.

• With his money at risk, Rothstein sent a bodyguard of his to threaten Claude Williams and his wife

The Final Game

• Claude Williams blew the eighth game, and the Chicago Black Sox lost 10-5.

• In the end, Claude Williams was single handedly responsible for handing the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.