Charles Comiskey: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1939

A timeline of his life and career.

Born: August 15, 1859

Debut: May 2, 1882 (St Louis Brown Stockings)

1883-1889: Managed the Browns (563-273 record and four championships)

1890: Player/Manager for the Chicago Pirates (75-62 record)

1891: Back to St. Louis

1892-84: Played for and Managed the Cincinnati Reds (202-206 record)

1900: Became owner of the White Sox

1901: White Sox win Pennant (No World Series until 1903)

1906: White Sox win World Series

1910: Built Comiskey Park

1917: White Sox win World Series

1917: Becomes bitter enemies with AL President and Founder Ban Johnson

1919: White Sox throw World Series because their owner is ridiculously cheap

1920: Grand Jury convened in Black Sox Scandal

1921: Key evidence in the trial disappeared.

1921: The Black Sox are acquited, but Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the eight men for life. The team collapsed and took a long time to recover. The White Sox do not win another pennant until 1959 and another World Series until 2005.

Died: October 26, 1931

1939: Elected to Hall of Fame on the Second Ballot

1958: Comiskey Family sell the White Sox

1974: The Godfather Part II mentions the fixed World Series.

1988: The movie Eight Men Out chronicles the 1919 World Series.

2010: HBO’s Boardwalk Empire covers the scandal.

Accomplishments:

Led league in At Bats in 1888 (576)

Managerial Record:

840-541 Record (.608) with four pennants

As an owner:

Four Pennants (1901, 1906, 1917, 1919)

Two World Championships (1906, 1917)

Built Comiskey Park

His frugal nature resulted in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal