Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #15. Game fixing at its finest
Winning the pennant was essentially a guarantee for the Louisville Grays in 1877. With roughly a five game lead over the Boston Braves and only 20 games left on the schedule, the Grays were in great position. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the losses mysteriously began popping up. The Grays went winless over the course of nine games.
As the losses continued to pile up, the Braves began picking up steam as they essentially couldn’t lose. In the end, the Grays blew their lead and handed the pennant to the Braves. Although some viewed it as a team that simply crumbled down the stretch, fans of the sport raised an incredulous eyebrow.
After a lengthy investigation, four players stepped up to the forefront and admitted their wrongdoing. Pitcher Jim Devlin, shortstop Bill Craver, outfielder George Hall and Al Nichols all came clean to betting and fixing games. In the case of Devlin, he received $100 each game for his role, which would be the equivalent of approximately $2,000 today. Not exactly worth what turned out to be a lifetime ban.