Linda S. (GoneToTheDogs) reviewed Blue Ruin: A Novel of the 1919 World Series on + 625 more book reviews
This is a story of gamblers who bought the 1919 World Series. Told by Sport Sullivan, the small-time gambler who set the scam in motion, the story reveals the pervasive corruption and greed afflicting baseball and society in that era. Charles Comiskey cheats his players, who sell out cheap but still get cheated by the gamblers, who are busy cheating each other as well. Left unchecked, the players become ever more blatant until even the blindest and most loyal supporters are driven to cleaning up the game. Sullivan, a small-timer and a born loser, epitomizes the era of the Black Sox, Teapot Dome, and the skyrocketing stock market.
