In his letter “Editorial off base” (Voice, Oct. 4), reader David Mansfield is right on target in taking the Tribune to task for its editorial supporting Pete Rose for induction into the baseball Hall of Fame. A zero-tolerance level for participant gambling is essential to maintaining the integrity and public confidence in any sport, and in this respect Pete Rose, if he did bet on baseball, must serve as an unfortunate example.
Mr. Mansfield, however, undercuts his own arguments when he appeals for admitting “Shoeless” Joe Jackson to the Hall. Although Jackson’s statistics in the ill-fated 1919 World Series weren’t bad, and he was acquitted in court, it is a matter of record that he accepted $5,000 with the knowledge the series was fixed, that he signed a confession and that he admitted to famed sportswriter Westbrook Pegler that “he only poked at the ball” in key games.
With respect to Mr. Mansfield’s figures, Jackson’s statistical performance in the series is misleading–he hit poorly in games the Sox lost and his baserunning and fielding were suspect.
The Black Sox conspired to lose the series, a fact that was obvious to many observers at the time, but the team performed well in certain games, so one could not appreciate their complicity merely by looking at the composite statistics.
