Eliot Asinof papers, 1954-2006 (bulk 1963-1977).

ArchivalResource

Eliot Asinof papers, 1954-2006 (bulk 1963-1977).

Handwritten and typed manuscripts by Eliot Asinof and legal affidavits, letters, scripts, articles, notes, and newsclippings that belonged to Asinof, the author of Eight Men Out, a book about the 1919 World Series and baseball gambling scandal (published 1963). The collection includes the transcript of an interview with Abe Attell, a former boxer and associate of underworld gamblers, and notes on Asinof's interviews with Chicago White Sox center-fielder Happy Felsch and Judge Hugo Friend, who presided over the trial. In addition, Asinof's notes on the creation of the book manuscript provide details from innumerable sources about events and motivations of the players. Other items in the collection include production schedules (but not the script), articles, and reviews of the 1988 movie Eight Men Out, co-written by Eliot Asinof and its director, John Sayles. Asinof's handwritten notes contain first-hand information from several people, such as novelist James T. Farrell and Baseball Hall of Fame member Red Faber. Correspondents in the collection include baseball players and other figures of the scandal era, such as banned Chicago White Sox pitcher Edward V. Cicotte; Cincinnati Reds player Walter H. Ruether (Dutch Ruether), who later sued Asinof for libel; and Reds player Edd J. Rousch (Eddie Rousch), as well as baseball historians Fred Lieb, Lee Allen, and Jerome Holtzman. The collection also contains many magazine articles and newspaper clippings pertaining to the World Series scandal (ca. 1919-1956) that Asinof collected. These articles included some interviews with players and photographs used in Eight Men Out. Other materials include legal filings, affidavits, and correspondence relating to the lawsuit by David Susskind against Asinof over Susskind's attempt to produce a made-for-television movie about the World Series scandal. Asinof's manuscript for his book Bleeding Between the Lines describes Asinof's research and writing methods that created Eight Men Out and recounts the legal battles following its publication. Correspondence with Hank Greenberg followed publication of this book.

3.5 linear ft. (6 boxes).

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 8086515

Chicago History Museum

Related Entities

There are 26 Entities related to this resource.

Greenberg, Hank, 1911-1986

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kt7gzc (person)

Henry Benjamin Greenberg (born Hyman Greenberg; January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", or "The Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Detroit Tigers as a first baseman in the 1930s and 1940s. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award winner, he was one of the premier power hitters of his generation and is wid...

Ruether, Dutch, 1893-1970.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cw2f44 (person)

Risberg, Swede, 1894-1975

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69c7ccj (person)

Rousch, Eddie

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rr3s71 (person)

Chicago White Sox (Baseball team)

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In 1919, some Chicago White Sox players intentionally lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. As compensation, some of the players received cash payments from gamblers. Rumors of a conspiracy circulated immediately following Cincinnati's victory, but the scandal broke publicly in September 1920. This series of events and later developments became known as the Black Sox Scandal. The group of players banned from major league baseball because of the scandal were Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, C...

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Gandil, Chick, d. 1970.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hr1w3j (person)

Cicotte, Edward, 1884-1969.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xm6bq7 (person)

Felsch, Oscar, Happy, d. 1964.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dc5zq7 (person)

Zork, Carl

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bs6pqt (person)

Comiskey, Charles A.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hq4c2p (person)

Attell, Abraham

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63v7dwn (person)

Lieb, Fred, 1888-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62s1pkn (person)

Fred Lieb was a member of the press . From the description of Oral history interview with Fred Lieb, 1964 Jan. 28. (National Baseball Hall of Fame). WorldCat record id: 48483837 ...

World Series (Baseball)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rr5pzz (corporateBody)

Susskind, David, 1920-1987

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6c24v51 (person)

Weaver, Buck, 1890-1956

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George Daniel "Buck" Weaver (1890-1956) played third base for the Chicago White Sox during the 1919 World Series. He was one of eight players banned indefinitely from baseball for alledgedly conspiring to throw the 1919 World Series. From the description of Weaver, Buck, 1890-1956 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10575410 George "Buck" Weaver played for the Chicago White Sox (1912-1920). Ford Frick was the Commissioner of Baseball (1951-1965). ...

Farrell, James T. (James Thomas), 1904-1979

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ns0rxv (person)

James T. Farrell (1904-1979) was an Irish-American novelist, short story writer, journalist, travel writer, poet, and literary critic. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, he attended the University of Chicago and published his first short story in 1929. He is best known for his Studs Lonigan trilogy and for his A note on Literary Criticism, in which he described two types of the American Marxist character. From the guide to the James T. Farrell Collection, 1953-1961, (Special Colle...

Faber, Red, 1888-1976

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6z115f4 (person)

American League of Professional Baseball Clubs

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The American League began as the Western League in 1894. In 1900, it became the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs. From the description of American League Agreements : contracts, 1900-1958. (National Baseball Hall of Fame). WorldCat record id: 65403298 ...

Jackson, Joe, 1888-1951

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Keener, Sid

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McMullin, Fred, d. 1952.

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Mayer, Meyer, Austrian & Platt (Law firm : Chicago, Ill.)

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Asinof, Eliot, 1919-2008

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b00h78 (person)

Eliot Asinof was a minor league baseball player briefly and later an author of fiction and non-fiction works. He devoted several years to researching his book, Eight Men Out, and co-wrote the motion picture based on the book with its director, John Sayles. From the description of Eliot Asinof papers, 1954-2006 (bulk 1963-1977). (Chicago History Museum). WorldCat record id: 718738162 Born in New York City to Russian-American tailor Max Asinof, writer Eliot Tager ...

Friend, Hugo 1882-1966.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x65g1d (person)

Allen, Lee, 1915-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fb6ww0 (person)