[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 134 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 134

  Expressing the sense of the Senate that Joseph Jefferson ``Shoeless 
   Joe'' Jackson should be appropriately honored for his outstanding 
                       baseball accomplishments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              July 1, 1999

Mr. Harkin (for himself, Mr. Thurmond, and Mr. Hollings) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate that Joseph Jefferson ``Shoeless 
   Joe'' Jackson should be appropriately honored for his outstanding 
                       baseball accomplishments.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT ``SHOELESS JOE'' JACKSON SHOULD BE 
              RECOGNIZED FOR HIS BASEBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

    (a) Findings.--The Senate finds the following:
            (1) In 1919, the infamous ``Black Sox'' scandal erupted 
        when an employee of a New York gambler allegedly bribed 8 
        players of the Chicago White Sox, including Joseph Jefferson 
        ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson, to throw the first and second games 
        of the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.
            (2) In September 1920, a criminal court acquitted 
        ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson of the charge that he conspired to 
        throw the 1919 World Series.
            (3) Despite the acquittal, Commissioner Landis banned 
        ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson from playing Major League Baseball for 
        life without conducting any investigation of Jackson's alleged 
        activities, issuing a summary punishment that fell far short of 
        due process standards.
            (4) The evidence shows that Jackson did not deliberately 
        misplay during the 1919 World Series in an attempt to make his 
        team lose the World Series.
            (5) During the 1919 World Series, Jackson's play was 
        outstanding--his batting average was .375, the highest of any 
        player from either team; he had 12 hits, setting a World Series 
        record; he did not commit any errors; and he hit the only home 
        run of the Series.
            (6) Not only was Jackson's performance during the 1919 
        World Series unmatched, but his accomplishments throughout his 
        13-year career in professional baseball were outstanding as 
        well--he was 1 of only 7 Major League Baseball players to ever 
        top the coveted mark of a .400 batting average for a season, 
        and he earned a lifetime batting average of .356, the third 
        highest of all time.
            (7) ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson's career record clearly makes 
        him one of our Nation's top baseball players of all time.
            (8) Because of his lifetime ban from Major League Baseball, 
        ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson has been excluded from consideration 
        for admission to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
            (9) ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson passed away in 1951, and 80 
        years have elapsed since the 1919 World Series scandal erupted.
            (10) Recently, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig 
        took an important first step toward restoring the reputation of 
        ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson by agreeing to investigate whether he 
        was involved in a conspiracy to alter the outcome of the 1919 
        World Series and whether he should be eligible for inclusion in 
        the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
            (11) Courts have exonerated ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson, the 
        evidence shows that Jackson did not deliberately misplay during 
        the 1919 World Series, and 80 years have passed since the 
        scandal erupted; therefore, Major League Baseball should remove 
        the taint upon the memory of ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson and honor 
        his outstanding baseball accomplishments.
    (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that Joseph 
Jefferson ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson should be appropriately honored for 
his outstanding baseball accomplishments.
                                 <all>