Joe Jackson and Pete Rose Should Be HOFers Because...

[ThomasL]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks Phil,

This is a touchy subject for a lot of people, and there are a lot more layers and nuances to this than most want to think about and consider. I've heard all the arguments and stories before that everyone was bringing up in their posts, and wanted to take the time to maybe get some people to finally realize there may be other points of view and circumstances that they hadn't thought of or were aware of before. To some it will always be cut and dried as to Jackson's guilt, even though there was no rule in MLB against what he did. And remember, he admitted under oath to a grand jury to taking the gambler's money, but also testified he played his best and didn't through any games, which statistics tend to show was true. Why would he be honest and admit to one thing, and then lie about the other?

It seems the ongoing issues and rumors and player complaints regarding certain Black Sox players during the 1920 season is what really got MLB to act and put Landis in place to deal with problem. Had there not been any continuing issues with suspected games being thrown by players in 1920, I wouldn't have been surprised if MLB just let the 1919 WS scandal blow over and continued as it had been. But with the continuing rumors and issues in 1920, the owners likely figured they had to do something. And since MLB and the authorities apparently couldn't do anything to stop the gamblers, they came down hard on those same 8 players to use them to set an example for the rest of major league baseball, Jackson may have never done anything to actually throw a game, but MLB to set their example had to suddenly show zero tolerance and throw all 8 players out to get their point across and scare the rest of the MLB players from even thinking about talking to any gamblers going forward.

Just look at how many sports related issues have changed over the years due to evolving knowledge and thinking, like the eventual breaking of the color barriers in sports, the change in the Olympics from being purely amateurs to now allowing all professionals to compete, the forthcoming changes to the question of earnings for college athletes, to even the recent inclusion of Negro League stats as recognized MLB stats. Thinking and knowledge all seem to change over time, and we sometimes need to look at things in a new light because of it and keep an open mind.

Very well put! Couldnt agree more