Eight Men Out is the historical drama about the infamous Chicago White Sox scandal of 1919. When many of the players felt cheated and demoralized by owner Charles Comiskey's penny-pinching and tough-handed ways, gamblers influenced several of them to lose the World Series in exchange for a large amount of money. A newspaper reporter eventually exposed the scandal. A sympathetic jury later found them not guilty, but there was so much evidence against them that the commissioner of baseball banned them from the Major Leagues for life.

Players Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Felsch have different reactions when their corruption is exposed.

In one scene Shoeless Joe Jackson (played by D. B. Sweeney) is sitting uncomfortably in front of several grand jury lawyers with a form in front of him. The lawyers tell him they are after the gamblers, not the ball players, and they want him to sign to be a witness. After a moment's hesitation he reluctantly signs. He puts an "X" on the line, puts down the pen, and looks away in embarrassment and defeat.

In another scene Happy Felsch (played by Charlie Sheen) is drinking beer and smoking in a bar with several friends. One of them says, "The word is you made a bundle."

Felsch replies, "Sure, I saw some cash. They promised us 20 grand each, but all I saw was 5. What am I going to do, call a cop?" Everyone laughs.

Another man asks him, "So why did you do it? Somebody lean on you?"

Felsch replies in a matter-of-fact tone, "Everybody else was getting some. I figured without the pitchers we were going to lose anyway, so why shouldn't I get fat, too? I may be dumb, fellows, but I'm not stupid." Everyone laughs.

In the next scene, Shoeless Joe is walking out of the meeting room with one of the lawyers. The lawyer asks Joe, "Now that wasn't so bad, was it, Joe?"

Joe answers, "It kind of felt good to get it off my chest."

"You did the right thing, Joe. We're proud of you."

They open a large door leading out to the street and are immediately met by a group of reporters and flashing cameras. As Joe makes his way through the reporters, various questions are asked: "Hey, what do you say, Joe? Were you in on it? Who did all the brain work? Why did you wait so long to spill it, Joe?" He gives a brief answer.

Then a little boy's voice is clearly heard: "Joe!" Everyone stops. Joe looks behind him at the boy, who is about 10 years old. The boy says in an innocent, pleading voice, "Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so."

Joe looks down, says nothing, then continues walking. The roar of the reporters starts up again as they follow him, leaving the boy standing alone staring after them.

Rated PG

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