Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #18. Connie Mack ruins a championship ballclub
The Philadelphia Athletics shocked the world in 1913. Although they weren’t exactly considered a title threat heading into the season, they still managed to win it all.
Taking home back-to-back titles is difficult enough but somehow, someway, the Athletics found themselves in prime position to do just that as they took on the Boston Braves in 1914. To say the Athletics were outclassed would be an understatement as they were simply destroyed.
As a team, they combined to bat just .172. Their inability to get any runs on the board resulted in them losing every game of the series.
Beyond ticked at this point, manager Connie Mack didn’t hold back when criticizing his team. He believed his ball club didn’t try at all and pushed all of his great players, including Chief Bender and Eddie Collins, out of the door. The results were what you would expect as they became God awful. For roughly two decades, the Athletics were the laughingstock of the league, all because their manager believed his team quit as opposed to giving the opposing squad credit.