Voting Station

Swede Risberg

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Baseball Player

The Resume

    (October 13, 1894-October 13, 1975)
    Born in San Francisco, California
    Birth name was Charles August Risberg
    Shortstop for the Chicago White Sox (1917-20)
    One of the ‘Black Sox’ who threw the 1919 World Series
    Banned from Major League Baseball for life

Why he might be annoying:

    He dropped out of school in the eighth grade – but liked to tell people he hadn’t made it past third grade.
    He punched an umpire in the minor leagues.
    He received $15,000 to throw the Series.
    He was one of the ringleaders of the Black Sox, convincing other teammates to join the scheme.
    He allegedly threatened to kill Shoeless Joe Jackson when Jackson started talking about backing out of the fix.
    He set a record by committing eight errors in the 1919 World Series.
    Years after his banishment, he claimed that the 1917 White Sox had pooled their money and raised $1,100 to bribe the Detroit Tigers to throw four games (1927).
    Nearly 30 players from the Sox and Tigers admitted that the money had changed hands, but said that it was a gift to thank Detroit for beating the Boston Red Sox three games out of four in an important late season series.
    The only player to back Risberg’s version of events was fellow banned Black Sox Chick Gandil.
    Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis exonerated the White Sox, then instituted a ban on players offering gifts to players on another team for any reason.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He lived through the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
    After his ban from the Majors, he played for various semi-pro and ‘outlaw’ teams, and, according to his son, earned more money than he had playing for the White Sox.
    He had to have a leg amputated due to complications from being spiked by another player during his baseball days (1970).
    He reportedly remained an avid baseball fan until his death.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 14.29% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 16 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying