The Virtual Hall of Fame's
Official Statement Regarding Joe Jackson
In our opinion, The National Baseball Hall of Fame is sadly lacking without the presence
of Joe Jackson. Joe had a lifetime batting average of .356, third highest in Major League history.
He was the greatest natural hitter to ever play the game, his glove was known as the place
where triples go to die.
They say Joe Jackson help throw the 1919 World Series and that's why he's not in the Baseball
Hall of Fame. They say to get there, you have to represent the game. They say Joe didn't represent
the game because, according to them, he threw the 1919 World Series. What they don't tell you is, there
is little to no evidence to back up that charge. They don't tell you that Joe batted .375 in the Series to lead all
players. They don't tell you that he hit the only homerun, had 12 hits, a Series record that stood for many
years. They don't tell you that he played errorless ball in the field. They don't tell you that Joe accounted for 11 of the White
Sox 20 runs in that Series (scored 5 times, and had 6 runs batted in). It's pretty much common knowledge that Joe knew about the fix, but
what they don't tell you is.....Charles Comiskey knew about the fix after the first game of the Series....and may have known about it
even before the Series started. They don't tell you that the White Sox as a team were confronted about the rumors of a fix sometime after the
2nd game and no later than the beginning of the 3rd game. They are quick to tell you that Joe Jackson admitted he received $5,000.00
for the fix, but they fail to tell you that Jackson did not want the money, evidence points to the fact that Joe may not have even been
present when the money was delivered by teammate Lefty Williams. They also fail to tell you that Joe did not attend any meetings
between the gamblers and other players. They also don't tell you that Joe's name was used in connection with the fix by Lefty Williams without Joe's consent or knowledge.
They don't tell you that Joe also tried to see Comiskey after the Series to tell him what
he knew. They also don't tell you that Charles Comiskey worked extremely hard over the winter of 1920 and for most of the 1920 baseball
season....trying to cover up the fix.
But most importantly, they don't tell you that Joe was acquitted of all charges against him by a jury of his peers, not once, but
twice, however his lifetime banishment still stands today.
They don't tell you that Joe was never sentenced to a lifetime ban from the game....they don't tell you that the actual sentence imposed on
him by Commissioner Landis was that he "would never play professional baseball again". That statement is a far cry from a lifetime ban which
Joe endured all the days of his life and a sentence which continues to be imposed on him in perpituity.
In our legal/justice system, when we sentence a criminal to life in prison and that person dies in prison, their
sentence is done. Joe Jackson died in 1951, his sentence is done!!!
Baseball today is faced with much bigger issues than clearing Joe Jackson's name from their Ineligible List....doing so will not
stain the game.......the modern day game is doing quiet well in that area without any help.
What we are asking of Major League Baseball....is not to play God with history, but to simply say that Joe Jackson
served his sentence with dignity, which he did. We want them to say his sentence is done and they have no further
jurisdiction over him and let it go to the Veteran's Committee for consideration. This is a simple solution for
Major League Baseball.....it lets them save face, they don't have to play God with history....they don't have to
overturn a decision made by a former Commissioner.....it's the easy way out for Major League Baseball and it will
clear Joe's name, it will give him back his dignity. It will make Joe eligible for consideration for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Over the years they have called Joe Jackson many things, some good, some bad. It is now time
they called him a Hall of Famer.
It is the aim of this site to do justice to Joe Jackson, to spread the word about Joe Jackson and his plight, for
Joe can no longer speak for himself.
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