Baseball has always been a central part of American culture. In the early 20th century, it was more than that; it was a belief system. People, especially kids, didn’t see baseball players as just athletes. They saw them as living embodiments of their dreams. And “Shoeless Joe” Jackson was one of their brightest dreams.That’s why the 1919 World Series, and especially the “Black Sox Scandal,” was a piercing jab in the heart of American idolatry. Eight Men Out (1988) captures this saga, and what stands out in it is one single moment where an anguished young fan urges his (fallen) hero to assure him he is still a hero:“Say it ain’t so, Joe.”That moment, when the kid desperately clings to his optimism to keep his dream alive, is the highest (and the lowest) point of the movie.This is one of those downfall stories where we look at our hero and see a human being instead.The Scandal in ContextBefore we dive into the scene, let’s explore the real-life context. To understand the emotional impact of the scene, we need to comprehend why this scandal had the power to cause a national heartbreak.In the 1919 World Series, the Chicago White Sox (CWS)—the 1917 world champions—were the fan favorite to win the series. But they lost, and, upon investigation, it was discovered that eight members of the CWS team were involved in intentionally “throwing the match” in exchange for payments from a betting syndicate. The scandal caused outrage and raised questions about the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today