Baseball was a very popular sport in the early 1900s. This World Series Scandal was not due to one idea but to a collaboration of ideas. One of those people was William Thomas "Sleepy Bill" Burns and Bill Maharg. Burns was an ex-pitcher and he was the connection to the players. Maharg was a gambler with connections underground. Many players on the Chicago White Sox professional baseball team were told about the fix including Pitcher Ed Cicotte, First Baseman Arnold "Chick" Gandil, Pitcher Lefty Williams, Centerfielder Happy Felsch, Shortstop Swede Risberg, Thirdbaseman Buck Weaver, Utilityman Fred McMullin, and one of the best and most popular stars ever, Leftfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. For all the men to be paid Burns and Maharg had to come up with money so they went to "The Big Bankroll" Arnold Rothstein for a lone. All getting all the money Burns and Maharg bet $1 million on the Cincinnati Reds giving every player $100,000. In order to make more money for the baseball players many people were told about fix and it is even said the Joe Jackson told owner Charles Carnishky about the fix but was ignored. Suspicion grew about the fix when heavy betting was occuring in the favor of the Reds and a sudden change in the odds occured. In the end the fix was a success despite 17 other players trying to win the World Series. Nobody knew the World Series was fixed until the next season and in late 1920 the eight players on the White Sox dubbed "Black Sox" were indicted. The scandal resulted in first Commissioner of baseball Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis to suspend each player but he promised reinstatement if the players were found not quilty. The players were still banned after they were clear of criminal charges.