Why is shoeless joe jackson called shoeless

Why is shoeless joe jackson not in the hall of fame

Jackson was born in in South Carolina, and he was sent to work at a cotton mill at the age of six due to his impoverished family. Jackson grew up playing ball with the cotton mill team. He earned the nickname Shoeless at this time with a base clearing triple done without shoes. Quickly moving through minor leagues, Jackson had his first full-time season with Cleveland in He batted.

In his sophomore year, the league took notice. In the season, the team and Jackson were dominating the competition. The White Sox lost the World Series, and Jackson, along with seven teammates, were accused of accepting a bribe to throw the game. The White Sox owner had been underpaying and refusing bonuses to his players. Clearly, there was incentive for Jackson to cheat.

Jackson denied ever consenting to participate in the conspiracy, he claimed to try to return the money, and his illiteracy may have led to an accidental signed confession. Furthermore, he played great in the games he was supposed to be throwing, and he batted. Jackson was banned for life in His innocence or guilt is still debated today.

Jackson spent the remainder of his life petitioning MLB for a reinstatement, and later he hoped for an induction into the Hall of Fame. Jackson struggled to leave the game, and he played on minor league teams under fake names in the South.