Sports is filled with dubious characters and corrupt practices, but the most sensational scandals revolve around illegal betting practices such as fixed games or illegal wagers. 1919's Black Sox Scandal remains infamous; more recently an NHL point-shaving scandal involved Rick Tocchet, current coach of Arizona Coyotes; Vancouver Canucks players Travis Green and Jeremy Roenick from Vancouver; as well as Wayne Gretzky's wife Janet as players involved.
The Black Sox Scandal
The 1919 Black Sox scandal had profound repercussions for baseball. Sparked by accusations against eight Chicago White Sox players - among them "Shoeless" Joe Jackson - it led to their permanent banishment from the sport and led directly to the establishment of a commissioner position and stringent anti-gambling regulations that still stand today.
However, the Black Sox scandal was ultimately driven by money: what gamblers were willing to pay in order to increase their odds of winning the World Series. Even though all Black Sox players were eventually cleared of all charges against them by a grand jury in 1919, interest in their story never diminished and has continued to resonate with fans who still feel betrayal in their bones. This collection includes the full transcript from their trial proceedings.
The Boston College Point-Shaving Scandal
One of the most infamous sports gambling scandals ever took place at Boston College. Mobster Henry Hill--who became immortalized by Martin Scorsese in Goodfellas--involved multiple players on the 1978-79 BC Eagles team with point shaving schemes run by him and others such as small-time gamblers Rocco and Anthony Perla; two small-time gambling agents whom Rick Kuhn knew from high school; as part of their scheme to prevent their team exceeding a specified margin margin.
Gamblers at https://conquestador.com/en-ca/sports bribed Kuhn and fellow player Jim Sweeney to "shave" points, which allowed the gamblers to place profitable bets. The scandal resulted in many player careers being destroyed as well as its credibility in collegiate sports being damaged significantly; Paul Tagliabue became even more anti-gambling as an outcome; many individuals including mobster Henry Hill were arrested during this investigation.
The Tim Donaghy Scandal
NBA Commissioner David Stern held a press conference to address the largest scandal in league history. Donaghy, Martino and Battista would ultimately plead guilty to charges related to their conspiracy in just a few months' time.
Larry Pedowitz, a former prosecutor who conducted this investigation for approximately one year before issuing a 133-page report that included game data analysis as well as interviews with sports, gambling and legal experts.
Pedowitz's findings were devastating: He determined that referees manipulated games for bookies' benefit, allegedly under pressure from mob-linked bookies to do so, with large numbers of NBA refs making millions unwittingly for illegal bookies - this would certainly not bode well in an ethical sport like basketball.
The Boston Celtics Scandal
As news of Ime Udoka's suspension from Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka broke, speculation ran rampant. On media day for their team, when details about Udoka's situation were not provided by management, people began creating their own theories on what might have caused her exclusion.
Reports later surfaced alleging Udoka engaged in a consensual, improper relationship with one of his staff members; his season-long suspension is unprecedented among NBA head coaches and could prove catastrophic for his franchise.
No information on the woman has been made public; however, multiple staff members have been linked with her, including Katleen Lynch reportedly with Boston Celtics organization and close relationship to former team president Danny Ainge. It remains uncertain whether Lynch has an ongoing role with them.
The Chicago Bulls Scandal
No matter the sport, some athletes take things too far when it comes to verbal sparring between competitors. One such athlete was Shoeless Joe Jackson; even after his baseball career had come to a close due to accusations of game-fixing his name was still stained with controversy.
The Chicago Bulls are one of the more captivating teams to follow this season, but also one of the least reliable. They have struggled to keep pace with league's top squads and have lost six straight matches.
The NBA recently charged the Chicago Bulls of violating its tampering rules, following allegations they reached out to New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball before free agency opened, in violation of league regulations. As punishment, they ordered them to forfeit their second-round draft pick and also fine team president John Paxson and former GM Gar Forman for their conduct.