Curse of the Black Sox

Cominsky Park, Chicago www.explorechicago.org

  In 1919 the Chicago White Sox had several players suspended for the rest of the season, as a result the White Sox couldn't win the League Pennant.  According to baseball writers at the time, and others, it should have been the year that the White Sox went on to win the World Series.
  The incident is call the Black Sox Curse because the players that were suspended were accused of gambling on baseball, the most major no-no of baseball rules.  All of them including Shoeless Joe Jackson were suspended for life.  The saying "say it ain't so Joe" is the result of the suspensions too.
  It is thought that the players gambled to earn more money, the Cominsky family was not very generous with the players.  The Cominskys' sold the Sox to Bill Veeck, and other owners have had the team since.
  In 1959 the White Sox finally won another League Pennant but lost to the Dodgers in the World Series, they would win several more pennants in ensuing years but not the Series.  Finally in 2005 the White Sox won the pennant again, and went on to win the World Series beating the Houston Astros.
Outfielder Aaron Rowand stated that if the Red Sox could "break the curse" and win in 2004, the White Sox could do the same.


The headline of the New York Times.  www.kids.britianica.com