July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951
Today is the 60th anniversary of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson’s death. Joe Jackson was a Major League Baseball player in the early 1900s. Mr. Jackson received his nickname “Shoeless Joe” because he played part of a minor league game without shoes since the ones he had been wearing had given him blisters.1
Shoeless Joe was one of the eight players who were banned from playing baseball after the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. An investigation was carried out and ultimately all eight players were acquitted. However, the Commissioner of Baseball still placed all eight players on the Major League Baseball’s ineligible list. Since Shoeless Joe was placed on the ineligible list, he has been precluded from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Shoeless Joe died of a heart attack at the age of 64, leaving no descendants.
Photos: [1] scmikeburton & [2] John McNab
