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Attorneys Go To Bat For Shoeless Joe Jackson.

By Erika Slife

Two Chicago attorneys have joined the ranks of those trying to clear "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's name.

Paul Duffy, who represents the fledgling Chicago Baseball Museum organization, and Daniel Voelker, who has sat on the group's board of directors, take exception with assertions made about Jackson in the 1963 book by the late Eliot Asinof, "Eight Men Out."

The book, later made into a popular film of the same name, is about the eight White Sox players suspected of fixing the 1919 World Series.

In mid-April, the pair decided to take a closer look at Asinof's research of the so-called "Black Sox" scandal, which is now housed at the Chicago History Museum. They said they were taken aback by what they found -- and didn't find.

Asinof's archives, they said, lacked interview notes from any of the scandal's principals. Instead, the research consisted mainly of newspaper accounts of the time, which are thought by some to be untrustworthy, they said.

"As a result of reviewing the files ... we drew some pretty strong conclusions that what was in the book was more fiction than fact," Voelker said.

The commercial litigators began to do some digging of their own, including reviewing grand jury proceedings. Their research, they hope, "may undermine some of what they assume to be true" about Jackson's alleged role in the scandal, Duffy said.

The report by Duffy and Voelker, who both work for Chicago-based firm Freeborn & Peters, appears in this month's Chicago Lawyer magazine.

Jackson supporters are taking notice. On Saturday, organizations dedicated to Jackson's legacy will announce a new campaign to persuade Major League Baseball to remove Jackson from its list of permanently ineligible players, which could make him eligible for the Hall of Fame.

Author Gene Carney Passes Away .

Author, and long time friend of the Virtual Hall of Fame, Gene Carney passed away on Sunday July 5, 2009 while on vacation in Alaska, he was 63 years old.

Gene was born on May 6, 1946 in Pittsburgh, PA the son of Michael and Marie Good Carney. He attended North Catholic High School and joined the Marianist religious community upon graduation in 1964. With the Marianists he taught high school for six years, studied at the University of Dayton and obtained a Master's Degree from Webster University, MO. In 1976 Gene left the Marianists and began working for the American Red Cross in Utica, recruiting donors and coordinating blood drives for ten years. On May 28, 1977 he married Barbara Washburn in Gloversville, NY. They enjoyed a happy union of 32 years.

Gene began work with the Arc Oneida-Lewis Chapter in 1986 and remained with the agency over 20 years until retiring to pursue his longtime passion, writing. Gene began writing baseball in 1989 and became known through newsletters, numerous essays, and three books, one ("Burying The Black Sox") of which is the definitive work on the attempt to cover up the Scandal by baseball officials. He was active in the Society for American Baseball Research, founding the local chapter. He also kept in touch with many communities by organizing reunions and his membership in Common Bond.

Surviving are his beloved wife, Barbara and children, Mary Ellen Carney, Seattle, WA and Patrick Carney, Utica; sister, Sue Carney, Pittsburgh, PA; brother, Michael Carney and his wife, Dorothy, North Carolina and nieces and nephews.

Gene will be missed by all that knew him!

See our Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Jackson and the Virtual Hall of Fame.

Read the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Official Statement concerning Joe.

Read the The Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame's Official Statement concerning Joe.

Read Joe Jackson's Last Will and Testament