A huge crowd gathers to hear play-by-play bulletins of the first game of the World Series in Times Square, October 1, 1919. The Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-1, that day and went on to win the Series, five games to three.

The Times reported that the first game was "so one-sided that the heralded White Sox looked like bush leaguers." Did the Sox intentionally lose the game? Months later, more crowds gathered in Times Square for up-to-the minute reports that the team they were now calling the Black Sox probably did. Despite acquittals in a public trial, baseball's commissioner banned for life eight members of the White Sox from professional baseball, including legendary "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.