Posted By:
JustinThe public didn't know that the series was thrown. Rumors were around for the whole 1920 season, but most people dismissed them as hearsay and poor sportsmanship.
The reason again that Joe was banned was because he had knowledge of the fix, took money from gamblers and did not notify anyone about it. That undermines the integrity of the game. If fans knew the games were crooked, baseball would lose alot of its fanbase.
The Black Sox were found not guilty of defrauding the public, which is different from the allegations by Landis. Jackson is very obviously guilty of the things Landis accused him of, and that is why he was banned and isn't in the hall. The hall again is a private organization that can set its own guidelines for membership, it is exclusive, and has chosen to respect MLB's decision to ban Rose, Jackson, Cicotte et al.
I used to be like you, I was a member of the committee to get Shoeless Joe inducted into the hall of fame, but the more you read about the Black Sox scandal the more obvious it becomes that he was guilty. If Landis let the Black Sox play again, the culture of gambling and corruption would have continued to flourish. But by taking drastic measures Landis helped baseball overcome these problems and build the game we know and love today.
I really like Shoeless Joe, and he is infinitely more well known today because he is not in the hall. He would be pretty much forgotten otherwise. Seriously who talks about Bobby Wallace?