Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café is officially endorsing “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s candidacy for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Fort Myers restaurant and sports bar will launch its Elect Shoeless Joe campaign on July 15, which coincides with the 2026 MLB All-Star Game and falls one day before Jackson’s birthday. The multi-year campaign will promote Jackson’s Hall of Fame candidacy through an online petition, in-restaurant events, food and drink specials, custom merchandise sales and community engagement activities.
“Shoeless Joe Jackson was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, yet his career has been marked by an asterisk for more than a century,” said Fritz Pohler, general manager at Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café. “He has already served his punishment and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, so we’re starting a grassroots effort make sure he’s enshrined at the first opportunity.”
Jackson played 14 years of professional baseball between 1908 and 1920 for the Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. His .356 career batting average ranks fourth highest in MLB history, but his career was marred by a scandal in which he admitted taking money in exchange for losing the 1919 World Series. In 1921, the MLB banned Jackson and seven of his White Sox teammates for life.
In May, though, current MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred ruled that permanent bans expire upon an individual’s death; Jackson passed away in 1951. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Jackson’s name would need to be listed on at least 12 of the 16 ballots cast by the Classic Baseball Era Committee, which meets again in December 2027. If at least 75% of voting members select Jackson, he would be enshrined in August 2028.
The petition for Jackson’s Hall of Fame candidacy will be posted online at Shoeless-Joes.com. Those who sign will automatically be entered into a monthly drawing in which one supporter will win a free T-shirt, as well as free wings and beer (if the winner age 21 or above) for a year.
During the week of July 14-20, Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café is offering its Shoeless Joe hot dog and fries combo for $5, with an option to add chili for an additional $3, along with pints of Budweiser and Bud Light draft beer for $3. Additional campaign kickoff activities include:
- July 15-16: All children wearing baseball or softball jerseys will receive free kids’ meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- July 16: From 5 to 7 p.m., Mussel Man – the mascot of the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels – will interact with patrons and baseball fans.
During the Elect Shoeless Joe campaign, Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café also will be collecting donations of new shoes and socks that will be distributed to local students in need. The restaurant will be selling two campaign T-shirts that feature custom designs.
Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café is located within the DoubleTree By Hilton Fort Myers at Bell Tower, 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers. For more information, call 239-437-0650 or visit Shoeless-Joes.com.
About Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café
Named after the famous White Sox slugger, Shoeless Joe’s Sports Café is the perfect escape to enjoy great food, drinks and company while watching the latest game. With a long history of entertaining sports and food fans of all ages, Shoeless Joe’s offers a fun, lively atmosphere with more than 40 big-screen HDTVs, a pool table, indoor and outdoor bars, as well as live music on Fridays and karaoke on Saturdays. Shoeless Joe’s is located within the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Myers at Bell Tower and open seven days a week with dining and happy hour specials daily. For more information, visit Shoeless-Joes.com, call 239-437-0620 or follow Shoeless Joe’s on Facebook at Facebook.com/ShoelessJoesFortMyers.
