The biggest scandal to upset Major League Baseball happened in 1919. The Chicago White Sox deliberately lost the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. At that point in time, Chicago was one of baseball’s best clubs, but they were also one of the most troubled. Despite being a formidable team, players complained at how little they were being paid, so when a local mobster suggested the White Sox fix the World Series for some extra money, some players were eager as can be.
Eight players in total were found guilty of throwing the series and were banned for life from playing baseball, and they were also forbidden from being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This kept the White Sox persistently positioned in the second spot for the favorite baseball team in Chicago.
Abebe at the 1960 Olympics
Abebe Bikila became the first Ethiopian marathon runner to defend his Olympic title successfully. His first gold medal performance happened during the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, where he ran the course barefoot, as we can see in the picture. As a seasoned runner, he was used to running without shoes.
Abebe won gold again in the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 1964, four years later. Nowadays, the thought of running barefoot is unimaginable, never mind a marathon!
Ted Williams' Bat
Ted Williams was unmistakably the face of the Red Sox and the greatest overall hitter in baseball history. Ted did it all, except winning a world series. As a true American hero, he also a fighter pilot in World War II and the War with Korea.
He procured over 500 home runs and has the highest on-base percentage of all time. Following the Korean War, Williams almost effortlessly transitioned back to baseball as if he never left.
Alan Page Wins an MVP
Defensive players just easily win the NFL MVP Award. Unless they're Alan Page and his Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings. Alan Page was a nine-time Pro Bowler, and nine-time All-Pro was the league's first defensive player to win the distinguished MVP Award.
Alan Page eventually went on to become an Associate Justice with the Minnesota Supreme Court after his football career. In 1988, Page was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During his time playing with the Vikings, Page became the first active NFL player to finish a marathon, now that's impressive!
Roger Bannister Breaks the Four Minute Mile
Breaking the four-minute mile was regarded as impossible, that is until Roger Bannister, an average guy from Harrow, England, broke the record in 1954. Bannister's official time was 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds, and he instantly became one of the world's most celebrated athletes as well as a hero in England.
His record would only last only 46 days, meaning his remarkable feat paved the way for future runners. Nowadays, with runners breaking records at an unprecedented clip, Bannister's reputation is still the one tracked back to.