Shoeless Joe A Fictional Story Of A Man Known - 2120 Words

Shoeless Joe is a fictional story of a man known by the name of Ray Kinsella. Ray Kinsella lives and farms in Iowa where he grows corn with his wife Annie and their daughter Karin. Kinsella is obsessed with baseball, specifically Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Black Sox Scandal of the 1919 World Series. When he hears a voice telling him, â€Å"If you build it, he will come†, he blindly follows the instructions. The voice tells him to build a baseball field in the midst of his corn crop in order to give his hero a chance at redemption. The field becomes a place for the spirits of baseball legends to come and play. Ray later gets to meet his father, Johnny, who had died 20 years ago at the time. He meets his father on the field, and plays catch†¦show more content†¦Eight so-called â€Å"Black Sox†Ã¢â‚¬â€including the great â€Å"Shoeless† Joe Jackson—were later put on trial for conspiracy and banned from baseball for life.† (Andrews) â€Å"The plan to throw the game is thought to have materialized a few weeks before the 1919 World Series. White Sox first baseman C. Arnold â€Å"Chick† Gandil is thought to be the main player who organized the throwing of the championships. He worked with a gambler by the name of Joseph â€Å"Sport† Sullivan.† (Andrews) â€Å"Gandil later claimed he was initially skeptical that it could work, but he eventually agreed that he and a few co-conspirators would throw the series in exchange for a hefty payout of around $100,000.† (Andrews) â€Å"Gandil was soon able to recruit pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Claude â€Å"Lefty† Williams, shortstop Charles â€Å"Swede† Risberg, and outfielder Oscar â€Å"Happy† Felsch. Third baseman George Buck Weaver was one of those who attended a meeting where a fix was discussed. However, he decided not to take part and played to the best of his ability during the series, batting .324 with 11 hits in 34 at- bats, which was higher than some of his batting averages in previous years. Weaver s career batting average was .272.† (Buck) â€Å"A meeting of White Sox players was held on September 21, in Chick Gandil’s room at the