In a June 1951 interview, White Sox leftfielder Joe Jackson claimed that he tried to warn team owner Charles Comiskey about the fix before the 1919 World Series even began. "I tried to clear up the mess before it broke and nobody listened. I went to Mr. Comiskey three weeks before the Series. I asked him to pull the team out; told him what I heard. He laughed and said "We got 100 men on guard....nothing could be pulled."

Thursday, September 18:
(13 days before the start of the World Series)

White Sox first baseman Chick Gandil contacts gambler and longtime associate, Joseph "Sport" Sullivan in Boston's Hotel Buckminster. Gandil tells him that the World Series can be fixed for $80,000. Although he doesn't have the money, Sullivan agrees to the  deal.

Friday, September 19:
Gandil begins contacting several teammates about fixing the World Series. Ed Cicotte would be first. Cicotte initially resisted the idea, but for $10,000, paid before the start of the Series, Cicotte agreed to participate. Gandil then approached Swede Risberg. As the two were talking, Fred McMullin overheard the conversation and demanded in on the fix. Joe Jackson was going out for a walk in Kenmore Square Gandil offered him $10,000 to "frame up the World Series." Jackson responded: "No. I want no part of       that."

Saturday, September 20:
The White Sox left Boston and headed to New York for the final weekend of the regular season. Eddie Cicotte was given the task of contacting Buck Weaver about the fixing of the World Series. Weaver tells Cicotte "You're crazy; that can't be done." Meanwhile, Chick Gandil is busy recruiting Lefty Williams and Happy Felsch. Williams initially states he's not interested, but changes his mind when Gandil tells him that the fix is going ahead, with or without him.

Sunday, September 21: 

"Sleepy" Bill Burns meets with Ed Cicotte and inquires if rumors about a World Series fix are true. After Cicotte confirms rumors, Burns offers to top the $80,000 offer. Burns and his associate, Bill Maharg meet with Gandil and Cicotte. Both players agree to work a deal with Burns to throw the Series for $100,000.

Sunday, September 21: (continued) 

With a new $20,000 offer, Gandil approaches Jackson for the second time. Jackson initially declines, but soon accepts the offer.

At the Ansonia Hotel, all of the players participating in the fix (minus Jackson), gathered in Chick Gandil's room to discuss the fix.

Monday, September 22: 

Chick Gandil meets with "Sport" Sullivan and tells him "I could close the deal only if the players got their money in advance." Sullivan explained that it would take time to raise $80,000, but he would be recontacting Gandil in Chicago when he raised the money.

Tuesday, September 23:
In an effort to raise the $100,000, Burns and Maharg arrived in New York to meet with the most prominent gambler in America, Arnold Rothstein. Rothstein told the two men he was busy and sent bodyguard Abe Attell out to see what they wanted. Burns and Maharg laid out the fix to Attell, who then relayed the information back to Rothstein. Skeptical of the plan, Rothstein turns them down. Later that evening, Burns and Maharg spoke to Rothstein personally. They were turned down again.

Wednesday, September 24: 

Playing in front of the home crowd, the White Sox clinch the American League Pennant by defeating the St. Louis Browns, 6-5.

Unbeknownst to Rothstein, Abe Attell contacts Bill Burns. Attell tells Burns that Rothstein had reconsidered and was now willing to put up the $100,000 to fund the fix,  but did not want his name being mentioned.

Friday, September 26: 

Sport Sullivan arrives in New York and meets with Arnold Rothstein. After talking to Sullivan, Rothstein becomes interested and discusses the fix with his partner, Nat Evans. Rothstein then instructs Evans to use the alias "Rachael Brown" and accompany Sullivan back to Chicago to see if the players can be  bought off.

Monday, September 29: 

In Chicago's Warner Hotel, Sport Sullivan and "Brown" meet with Ed Cicotte, Hap Felsch, Chick Gandil, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams. The players demand $80,000 before the start of the Series. "Brown" tells the players he would get back to them.

Monday, September 29: (continued) 

Evans reports back to Rothstein and is given $40,000 cash, which was then given to Sullivan. Rather than giving the money to the players, Sullivan bets $29,000 of it on the Reds and gives Gandil only $10,000. An additional $40,000 was placed in a safe at the Hotel Congress in Chicago and was to be paid to the players after the fix had concluded.

Tuesday, September 30: 

The White Sox leave Chicago and head to Cincinnati for Game 1 of the World Series.

Burns and Maharg meet with Attell to pick up the $100,000. Attell told them that the money was out on bets and that the players would be given $20,000 after each loss.

Tuesday, September 30: (continued)
One at a time, Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams went to Chick Gandil's room at the Stinson's Hotel and asked Gandil when he was going to get the $100,000 from Sullivan. The players were told they would recieve payments of $20,000 after each White Sox loss. An agreement was also made amongst the players that they would lose the first three games of the Series and win Game 4. Ed Cicotte was also instructed to hit the Reds leadoff batter as the signal that the fix was on.

Tuesday, September 30: (continued) 

Eddie Cicotte finds $10,000 under his pillow and promptly sews the money into the lining of his jacket.

Joe Jackson approached owner Charles Comiskey and requests to be removed from the starting lineup. Jackson's request was denied.

To view part 2 of the timeline, CLICK HERE. 

 
To begin this timeline again, CLICK HERE.