James Joseph O'Connell (February 11, 1901 – November 11, 1976) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball.

Playing for the San Francisco Seals, O'Connell batted over .330 in 1921 and 1922; he was then purchased by the New York Giants for $75,000 ($1,341,211 in current dollar terms).

In the final series of the 1924 season, the Giants were playing the Philadelphia Phillies at the Polo Grounds and battling for the pennant with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

O'Connell offered Phillies shortstop Heinie Sand $500 to throw the games ($8,889 in current dollar terms).

It eventually led to the life-time suspension of O'Connell and Giants coach Cozy Dolan by Commissioner Landis, although future-Hall of Famers Frankie Frisch, George Kelly, and Ross Youngs were also implicated.