Chicago White Sox star players sold the 1919 World Series to a gang of professional gamblers. Of that much there can be no doubt. This is a great story by a great sportswriter and historian. It is a tightly written, fast moving, seemingly balanced account. Could be better documented (there is an index but there are no notes). Still, anybody who loves baseball is going to love this book.

I'd give it four stars if only they had sourced it. As it is, it gets three. ( )

This book is the most thoroughly researched book on sports I have ever read. But thanks to the writing skills of Eliot Asinof, it reads more like a fast-paced thriller than like a non-fiction account. Ultimately, this book is as much about America in that era as it is about baseball. It's also easily the best thing to come out of the 1919 Black Sox scandal. ( )

Eliot Asinof was kind enough to read a book I wrote, (and he liked it)...my god, I think it was way back in 1969 when he was teaching night school at NYU, and I was driving a cab. The title of my book was "P.N. 7". Hey, Eliot, if you're out there and you still have a copy of my book (unlikely) send me a message here on LT. I lived a pretty "exciting" life back in those days, and my copy of PN7 was last seen in the police station in Elkton, Md., where my friend Ben was being thrown in jail for running a toll booth off the Delaware Memorial bridge. The deputy who read PN7 told me it was a work of art.
Anyway, getting back to your book, I really enjoyed it. And I'm not just saying that in hopes of getting my manuscript back. For those who don't know, Eight Men Out is about the Chicago White Sox throwing the World Series back in 1919. They made it into a movie, but as usual, the book is much better than the film. If you like baseball, you'll like this book. These weren't bad guys: not like the guys shooting up steroids today. Eliot explains the financial pressures these players were under in a system that didn't allow them to change teams without the owner's permission. And they didn't have arbitration in those days. Guys who should have been making big bucks were playing for scraps, and they had no way out. ( )

A baseball book which assembles the truth of the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, the depth of investigation and completeness of Asinof's retelling is astounding. That only a bit more information has come to light since the publication of this book is testament to the job Asinof has done. A fascinating re-telling of an event in which there are villains of all kinds and few are above reproach. ( )

An extremely well written book about the infamous Black Sox scandal. What better time of year to read it than now - as the Fall Classic is approaching? The writing is engaging and intelligent. America's pasttime always fascinates - nothing but a game, but so much more. I would highly recommend this book. The story is compelling. Read it. ( )