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Follett,
'Black Sox' niece, dies at 89
By
M.K. Guetersloh
Pontiac bureau chief - An article from The Pantagraph - Bloomington-Normal,
Illinois
PONTIAC
-- Marjorie Follett has died, but her life's work trying to
clear her uncle of the 1919 Chicago "Black Sox" scandal will
go on, according to fellow supporters of the cause.
Follett,
89, of Pontiac died early Thursday morning at OSF Saint James-John
W. Albrecht Medical Center.
"The
torch has been passed. We are saddened by her death, but the
campaign continues," Dr. David Fletcher of Champaign said.
Fletcher had been working with her on trying to clear George
"Buck" Weaver, who was banned from baseball after the "Black
Sox" scandal.
Earlier
this summer, Follett and her cousin Pat Anderson attended
the All-Star Game at U.S Cellular Field in Chicago, or the
new Comisky Park, to lobby for their uncle.
She
was optimistic that her 30-year effort to reverse the ban
would pay off because Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud
Selig was looking into reinstating former Cincinnati Reds
Manager Pete Rose.
Selig
appointed Chicago sports historian Jerome Holtzman to investigate
the Weaver case a few years ago, but no decision has been
made.
Fletcher
said Follett was instrumental in helping launch the ClearBuck.com
campaign during the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago. She fielded
questions from the media and explained the cause to Illinois
Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
"We
admired her ageless spirit and enthusiasm and appreciated
the stories she shared of life with her Uncle Buck," Fletcher
said on behalf of those who helped create ClearBuck.com. "For
more than 30 years Marjorie has taken her uncle's case to
reporters, authors, historians and baseball commissioners.
We are honored to continue to champion her cause. She will
be deeply missed by all."
In
previous interviews with The Pantagraph, Follett reminisced
about her uncle, who looked after her grandparents and her
family.
She
talked about the trips she would take from Pontiac to Chicago
as a young girl to visit her aunt and uncle. During her visits,
Weaver doted on her by taking her shopping at Marshall Field's,
where he bought her dresses and patent leather shoes, Follett
said.
And
during those interviews, Follett vehemently argued that Weaver
did not participate in the plot by some Chicago White Sox
baseball players to throw the 1919 World Series.
Follett
was quick to point out Weaver's .324 batting average and that
as third baseman, he did not commit any fielding errors in
the series.
"He
played eight games of flawless baseball," Follett said. "If
he was guilty of anything, it was being true to his teammates."
Services
for Follett are scheduled for 1 p.m. today at St. Mary's Catholic
Church in Pontiac.
Contact
M.K. Guetersloh at pontiac@pantagraph.com
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