– 2 ▁pattern ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁ever ▁since ▁save ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁World ▁Series , ▁which ▁followed ▁a ▁ 3 – 4 ▁pattern ▁due ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁travel ▁restrictions ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁normal ▁pattern ▁was ▁followed ▁because ▁both ▁teams ▁were ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁home ▁stad ium . ▁▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁Black ▁So x ▁Sc andal ▁▁ ▁G amb ling ▁and ▁game - fix ing ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁problem ▁in ▁professional ▁baseball ▁from ▁the ▁beginning ; ▁star ▁pitch er ▁Jim ▁Dev lin ▁was ▁b anned ▁for ▁life ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁National ▁League ▁was ▁just ▁two ▁years ▁old . ▁Baseball ' s ▁g amb ling ▁problems ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁when ▁eight ▁players ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁White ▁So x ▁were ▁alleg ed ▁to ▁have ▁consp ired ▁to ▁throw ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁World ▁Series . ▁ ▁The ▁So x ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁Series ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁were ▁heavy ▁favor ites ▁to ▁beat ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁Red s ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁but ▁first ▁bas eman ▁Ch ick ▁Gand il ▁had ▁other ▁plans . ▁Gand il , ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁g amb ler ▁Joseph ▁" S port " ▁S ull ivan , ▁approached ▁his ▁team m ates ▁and ▁got ▁six ▁of ▁them ▁to ▁agree ▁to ▁throw ▁the ▁Series : ▁starting ▁pitch ers