Eddie Cicotte, who pitched in the American League 1905-1920, was one of the tragic figures of baseball.
A family man and a fan favorite, he ascended to stardom with nothing more than a mediocre fastball, endless guile and a repertoire of trick pitches.
He won 29 games in 1919 and led the Chicago White Sox to the pennant.
Although he pitched poorly in the World Series that October, fans did not hold it against him--a slump can happen to anybody.
A year later, the public learned the truth: Cicotte.
Mcfarland & Company Eddie cicotte: the life and career of the banned black sox pitcher, paperback/david l. fleitz
