[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15221-S15222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING JOSEPH JEFFERSON ``SHOELESS JOE'' JACKSON

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Commerce be discharged from further consideration of S. 
Res. 134 and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 134) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that Joseph Jefferson ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson should 
     be appropriately honored for his outstanding baseball 
     accomplishments.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I am very pleased that the Senate has 
given its approval to Senate Resolution 134. With passage of this 
resolution, which I introduced earlier this year with Senators Thurmond 
and Hollings, the Senate has gone on record to right a wrong 
perpetrated against one of the greatest American baseball players of 
all time--Joseph Jefferson ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson. And I want to 
commend Senators Thurmond and Hollings for their good work on this.
  ``Shoeless Joe'' has been an inspiration to baseball players and fans 
for decades. Even the legendary Babe Ruth was said to have copied 
Jackson's swing. I was touched by Jacksons' story through the movie 
``Field of Dreams,'' which recounted his story. The movie was filmed in 
Dyersville, Iowa. Thousands of Iowans, young and old alike, have come 
to embrace

[[Page S15222]]

``Shoeless Joe.'' In fact, there is an annual Shoeless Joe Jackson 
celebration and celebrity baseball game in Dyersville. This year it was 
attended by a cast of baseball greats, including Bob Feller.
  Jackson's career statistics and accomplishments throughout his 
thirteen years in professional baseball clearly earn him a place as one 
of baseball's all-time greats.
  His career batting average of .356 is the third highest of all time. 
In addition, Jackson was one of only seven Major League Baseball 
players to top the coveted mark of a .400 batting average for a season. 
Despite all this, in 1920 ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson was banned from the 
game of baseball, the gamed he loved. He was banned from Major League 
baseball for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to throw the 1919 
World Series, in what has become known as the ``Black Sox'' scandal.
  While ``Shoeless Joe'' did admit that he received $5,000 from his 
roommate, Lefty Williams, to participate in the fix, evidence suggests 
that Jackson did everything in his power to stop the fix from going 
through. He twice tried to give the money back. He offered to sit out 
the World Series in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety. And, 
he tried to inform White Sox owner Charles Comiskey of the fix. All of 
these efforts fell on deaf ears.
  Perhaps the most convincing evidence of Jackson's withdrawal from the 
conspiracy was his performance on the field during the series. During 
the 1919 World Series--which he was accused of conspiring to fix--
``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson's batting average was .375, the highest of any 
player from either team. He had twelve hits, a World Series record. He 
led his team in runs scored and runs batted in. And, he hit the only 
home run of the series. On defense, Jackson committed no errors and had 
no questionable plays in thirty chances.
  When criminal charges were brought against Jackson in trial, the jury 
found him ``not guilty.'' White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and several 
sportswriters testified that they say no indication that Jackson did 
anything to indicate he was trying to throw the series. But, when the 
issue came before the newly-formed Major League Baseball Commissioner's 
office, Commissioner Judge Kenesaw ``Mountain'' Landis found Jackson 
guilty of taking part in the fix, and he was banned for life from 
playing baseball. The Commissioner's office never conducted an 
investigation and never held a hearing, thus denying ``Shoeless Joe'' 
Jackson due process.
  Major League Baseball now has the opportunity to correct a great 
injustice. I have written to Commissioner Bud Selig urging him to take 
a new look at this case. I was very pleased when the Commissioner 
responded to my inquiry by saying he is giving the case a fair and 
objective review.
  Restoring ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson's eligibility for the Hall of Fame 
would benefit Major League Baseball, baseball fans, and all Americans 
who appreciate a sense of fair play.
  The resolution we passed today states that Major League Baseball 
should honor Jackson's accomplishments appropriately. I believe Jackson 
should be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
  If that is to happen, Jackson must first be cleared for consideration 
by the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee, which will stand as the jury 
which decides whether Jackson's accomplishments during his playing 
career are worthy of recognition in the Hall of Fame.
  Mr. President, we are involved in many important issues. Clearly, 
this matter will not and should not take up the same amount of time 
this body devotes to critical issues like health care, education, or 
national defense. But, restoring the good name and reputation of a 
single American is important. This resolution has given us the 
opportunity to right an old wrong. It has given us the opportunity to 
honor one of the all-time great players of America's pastime, 
``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson.
  I thank my colleagues for supporting this resolution.


                           amendment no. 2800

         (Purpose: To amend certain findings of the Resolution)

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Senator Thurmond has a substitute at the 
desk, and I ask for its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Maine [Ms. Collins], for Mr. Thurmond, 
     proposes an amendment number 2800.

  The amendment is as follows:

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:

     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 1919 World Series 
     against the Cincinnati Reds.
       (2) In 1921, a criminal court acquitted ``Shoeless Joe'' 
     Jackaon of charges brought against him as a consequence of 
     his participation in the 1919 World Series.
       (3) Despite the acquitta, Commissioner Landis banned 
     ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson from playing Major League Baseball 
     for life without conducting a hearing, receiving evidence of 
     Jackson's alleged activities, or giving Mr. Jackson a forum 
     to rebut the allegations, issuing a summary punishment that 
     fell far short of due process standards.
       (4) 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.
       (5) 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.
       (6) ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson's career record clearly makes 
     him one of our Nation's top baseball players of all time.
       (7) 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.
       (8) ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson passed away in 1951, and 80 
     years have elapsed since the 1919 World Series scandal 
     erupted.
       (9) Recently, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig 
     took an important step by agreeing to investigate whether 
     ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson 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.
       (10) Courts have exonerated ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson, the 
     1919 World Series box score stands as a witness of his record 
     setting play, and 80 years have passed since the scandal 
     erupted; therefore, Major League Baseball should 
     appropriately honor the outstanding baseball accomplishments 
     of Joseph Jefferson ``Shoeless Joe'' Jackson.
       (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.

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
amendment be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2800) was agreed to.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution, as amended, be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statements relating to this matter be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 134), as amended, was agreed to.
  (The resolution will be printed in a future edition of the Record.)

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