A Legend Finally Gets His Recognition
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More than a century after being banned from Major League Baseball, Shoeless Joe Jackson is finally getting a shot at the Hall of Fame.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced finally that the league is officially lifting Jackson’s lifetime ban, clearing the way for his potential induction into Cooperstown. The decision comes after years of debate over Jackson’s role in the 1919 Black Sox scandal.
“Given the lack of evidence that Jackson intentionally threw games and his outstanding performance in the series, it’s time to re-evaluate how history remembers him,” Manfred said.
Jackson batted .375 during that infamous World Series, recorded 12 hits, and played solid defense—hardly the numbers of someone trying to lose. Still, he and seven teammates were banned for life in 1921 for allegedly conspiring to fix the outcome.
Supporters have long argued that Jackson was unfairly punished, pointing to his legendary .356 career batting average—still the third-highest in MLB history—and his popularity with fans and fellow players alike.
The Hall of Fame’s Historical Overview Committee will now decide whether to place Jackson on a future ballot. If they move forward, Jackson could be officially inducted as soon as next summer.
“This doesn’t erase the scandal,” said baseball historian Claire Barrett. “But it does recognize one of the game’s greatest talents, and maybe corrects a mistake that’s lasted too long.”
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