Blog Tour: Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History

Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History

Jonathan Weeks

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GENRE:  Sports History

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BLURB:

Mays’s spectacular catch in 1954, Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer in 1960, and Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit blast in 1988 are just a few of the memorable moments that have dominated highlight reels. The outcome of the Series has not always been terribly surprising—especially during the late 1940s and early 1950s when the Yankees captured five consecutive championships, breaking their previous record of four straight titles from 1936 to 1939. But despite its predictability at times, the Fall Classic has taken many unexpected turns. The 1906 Cubs lost to the weak-hitting White Sox after establishing a new regular season record for

wins. The 1955 Dodgers avenged seven prior October failures with an improbable victory over the seemingly invincible Yankees. And in 1969, the Mets finally shed their image as “loveable losers,” dethroning the powerful Orioles. In more than a century of World Series plays, a number of similar scenarios have emerged; twenty-two of those stories are told in Shocktober.

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Excerpt One:

To understand why members of the White Sox conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series, one must take into account the financial climate of baseball in the early-20th century. Players weren’t paid exceptionally well (at least in comparison to today). Before the advent of free agency, owners held most of the advantages when it came to negotiating contracts. Players were more or less stuck with the clubs they had signed with until team executives decided it was time to get rid of them. Typical deadball stars were minimally educated and rough around the edges. In their free time, many gravitated to bars and pool halls, where men of questionable integrity could be found. Some players developed relationships with members of the underworld—especially bookmakers who were willing to tamper with the outcome of games in order to turn a profit.

Ty Cobb, one of the biggest names of the era, was paid $20,000 in 1919—equivalent to about $348,000 today. No one else was making that much at the time—not even Babe Ruth. Pitcher Eddie Cicotte, at a little over $9,000, was the highest paid member of the Chicago conspirators. The others were earning significantly less. 

A common misconception among contemporary fans is the idea that Chicago team owner Charles Comiskey was a nefarious miser who drove his men to commit the crime of the century. Multiple myths have persisted regarding Comiskey’s penny-pinching ways—the most salacious being the story about how he delivered a case of flat champagne to his players as a World Series bonus in 1917. Other fallacies have been handed down over the years. 

In reality, Comiskey was prone to acts of generosity. He allowed a number of Chicago organizations to use his ballpark for free and gave out complimentary grandstand tickets to school children. During World War I, he donated a significant portion of his annual income to the Red Cross. While it’s true that he could also be frugal, charging players for laundry fees, he actually paid his men pretty well. The White Sox Opening Day payroll in 1919 was among the highest in baseball.

While the specific motivations of each conspirator have been endlessly debated, it’s safe to assume that the primary incentive was financial gain. By his own account, it was first baseman Chick Gandil who approached gamblers with the idea of a fix. At the time, the club was divided into two social cliques with tension existing between the two. The educated players fell under the influence of Ivy League graduate Eddie Collins. The rest of the joiners cast their lot with Gandil—a former boxer with an attitude toward authority. Shortstop Swede Risberg played a major role in the fix as well, helping Gandil lure other players (ones who could be trusted to keep their mouths shut) into the fold. Boston-based bookmaker Joseph “Sport” Sullivan convinced New York underworld kingpin Arnold Rothstein to bankroll the plot. Others involved included “Sleepy Bill” Burns (a former pitcher) and Abe Attell (a former featherweight boxing champion). Both were associates of Rothstein’s.

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Interview:

Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up in Schenectady, which is in the Capital District region of New York State. I spent my college years at SUNY Albany. I work in a program that provides support to mentally ill adults living in supervised apartments. I’ve been working in the mental health field for over 26 years. Writing is a second job for me. 

Tell us about your book? How did it get started?

I’ve been interested in baseball since I was a kid. I played in organized leagues but wasn’t very good and eventually gave it up. I have been a student of the game for most of my life. October is one of my favorite seasons—not just because I love watching the leaves change, but I also find myself drawn to the World Series. It’s one of the most exciting showdowns in sports. And it’s been going on since 1903 so there’s a lot of history there. I made a promise to myself when I was in grade school that I would write a book about the World Series someday. Now—fifty years later—I can finally say that I did.  

What inspires and what got you started in writing?

My parents encouraged me to read when I was a kid. I got started with children’s picture books and moved on to comics. I used to be pretty good at drawing and I would create my own comics just for fun (mostly derivative superhero stuff). Once in a while, if I could get someone to make copies for me, I would sell my work to kids at school. I didn’t stick with drawing and I can’t produce anything beyond primitive cartoons nowadays. But I did stick with writing. One of the first books that really inspired me to write was The Shining by Stephen King. I had read ‘Salem’s Lot earlier in the year and decided that I wanted to be a horror writer. Long story short—it didn’t work out. But I eventually found a niche writing about one of my favorite subjects—baseball.  

Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)

I have an office in my home. I work on a laptop. There are some writers who can work with music on in the background but for me it has to be quiet. Music is another one of my passions and it commands my attention. Coffee is essential. I always have a cup nearby when I’m writing

How do you get your ideas for writing?

I read a lot of baseball books to stay current in my genre. I look for subjects that have not been explored in depth or topics that still resonate with fans even though they have been extensively covered. I’m always looking for a new angle or for little-known facts and anecdotes. 

What do you like to read?

I’m pretty eclectic when it comes to reading. I came across an article online that listed “The 100 Books You Need to Read Before You Die” so I decided to dive right in. I had read some of the books on the list when I was in high school, but I thought it might be interesting to revisit them as an adult. In some cases, I was left with an entirely different impression of the work. For instance, I was not as enamored with The Catcher in the Rye (one of my favorites as a teenager). But The Great Gatsby really resonated with me—I think I kind of missed the point during my school days. 

What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring in regards to writing?

There are so many things I could say to aspiring writers, but I think the best piece of advice is “don’t give up.” It’s not easy breaking into the publishing business. Rejection is a natural part of the process. Learn from your mistakes—adapt and grow. Know your audience and know when it’s time to move on to another writing project. Sometimes it’s hard to let go. But there are times when we have to.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jonathan Weeks has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his late father. He grew up in the Capital District region of New York State and currently works in the mental health field.

BLOG: http://www.jonathanweeks.blogspot.com

GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

Jonathan Weeks will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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