John Wesley Donaldson

Newspaper Clippings about Southpaw Pitcher John Donaldson

1917 John Donaldson Games

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

February 11, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"Second Waddell to Pitch Sunday - One of the greatest pitchers in baseball will be seen in action at the Vernon Coast League Park Sunday, when John Donaldson pitches for the Los Angeles White Sox againt the Western Pool Hall club, a team made up of Coast League stars. Donaldson is a left-hander and but for the fact that he is colored would be in the major leagues. John McGraw and Ed Walsh have claimed that Donaldson is as great a left-hander as Rube Waddell, the eccentric southpaw of the old Philadelphia Athletics."

Los Angeles, CA
"Coast Leaguers to Play Colored Team - What is slated to be one of the best semi-pro games staged here in several months will be held tomorrow afternoon on the Vernon diamond when the Western Pool Hall team, composed of Coast League players, meets the Los Angeles White Sox. Donaldson, considered to be one of the greatest southpaws in the game and who would be in the major leagues if it was not for the fact that he is colored, will twirl for the White Sox. Walter Slagle, former Angel hurler, will work for the Western squad. Other well known players on the team are Gus Gleichmann, Jess Orendor, Hillyard and Johnny Butler."

Los Angeles, CA
"The pitching of Mooney, combined with the heavy hitting of the L.A. White Sox, was too much for the Western Pool Hall team yesterday. The colored boys won, 6 to 3. The game was played on the Vernon grounds. Mooney fanned seven, allowed five hits and walked one. Glenn made four hits out of five times up for the winners, including one double."

Vernon, CA
"L.A. White Sox Win from Coast Leaguers - Hitting the ball hard, the Los Angeles White Sox baseball team defeated the Western Pool Hall nine, composed of Coast league players, on the Vernon diamond by a score of 6 to 3. Perone was hit hard by the colored players. The pitching of Baker featured the game."<

February 13, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"Imported Southpaw Revives Courage of Chocolate Men - The Los Angeles White Sox, colored, are still whimpering. They want Manager Hull to bring back his San Diego ball club and clean them again. Lon Goodwin, boss of the colored aggregation, wired for Hull to come north again next Sunday, but the local leader is not crazy about it and the chances are that the proffer will be refused.
The elevation of spirit in the White Sox camp is due to an acquisition of a southpaw pitcher, whom they refer to as the greatest left-hander in the game. His name is Donaldson and his home is Kansas City. Donaldson says that John McGraw looked him over and said he was the best southpaw he ever saw and could not have shown Rube Waddell something in the Reuben's palmiest day."

February 15, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"Colored Pitcher Refuses Big Offer - John Donaldson, pitcher for the Los Angeles White Sox team, who will oppose Jess Orndorg's All-Professional team in the series of three games, turned down an offer of $10,000 to deny his race."

Kansas City, MO
"Mr. John Donaldson left Thursday for Los Angeles, California, to pitch for the White Sox. He will return the first of May to resume his position with Schmelzers' All Nations."

February 18, 1917

Vernon, CA
"White Sox Tackle Westerns Tomorrow - The L.A. White Sox will battle the strong Western team tomorrow afternoon at Maier park, Vernon. Skeeter Fanning will do the twirling for the Westerns, being opposed by John Donaldson, the Sox new left-hander. This will be Donaldson's first appearance on the Pacific Coast."

Vernon, CA
"San Diego vs. L.A. White Sox, at Vernon."

Los Angeles, CA
"Manager Goodwin of the Los Angeles White Sox accepts the challenge issued by Manager Hendrie of the champion San Pedro Merchants' nine, and will arrange a series of games to be played at Maier park, Vernon, in the near future. Goodwin denies that the Sox have ever "run out" on any ball club, as charged by Hendrie. 'It is my policy to match my club with the best in the league, in fact, I would rather see my boys go down to defeat at the hands of a worthy opponent than to win from a team that could not give the fans a run for their money. I have a fighting team that will give the best clubs in the business a worthy battle.' said Manager Goodwin of the White Sox.
The Los Angeles White Sox will cross bats with the Westerns Sunday afternoon at Maier Park, Vernon. The Westerns are an aggregation of ball players from the Coast and major leagues. "Skeeter" Fanning will do the twirling for the Westerns, and John Donaldson, the new left-hander of the Sox, will make his debut on the Coast as the pitcher of the White Sox. Donaldson is said to be one of the greatest negro pitchers in the world."
Los Angeles, CA
"Struck out - by Donaldson, 5 in 6 innings. Mooney, 3 in 3 innings, Pirrone, 3."

February 25, 1917

Vernon, CA
"Pete Schneider to Pitch Against L.A. White Sox - With Pete Schneider, the Cincinnati National twirler, on the mound, the San Pedro club, semi-pro champions of Southern California, will tackle the Los Angeles White Sox, a colored team, on the Vernon diamond Sunday afternoon. Carl Sawyer, the Charlie Chaplin of baseball, who is a member of the New York Yankees, will cover first base for the Harbor team. John Donaldson, the colored Matthewson, will hurl for the White Sox."

Vernon, CA
"Schneider to Pitch. - Pete Schneider, the Cincinnati Red player, will pitch for the San Pedro team against the Los Angeles White Sox Sunday afternoon at Vernon. John Donaldson, the colored wonder, will hurl for the White Sox."

Vernon, CA
"San Pedro Club to Tackle White Sox - Having won their last three games from fast rival clubs, the Los Angeles White Sox will tackle the San Pedro Merchants, champions of Southern California, at Vernon tomorrow. Pete Schneider will do the twirling for the champions. Opposed to him will be the great colored left-hander, John Donaldson. Carl Sawyer, the greatest comedian of the baseball diamond, will cover first base for San Pedro."

Los Angeles, CA
"San Pedro 7, White Sox 0. Batteries: Schneider and Cook, Donaldson and Baker."

Vernon, CA
"San Pedro Retains Semi-Pro Honors - The San Pedro club are still the semi-pro baseball champions of Southern California. The harbor nine, aided by the star pitching and hitting of Pete Schneider of the Cincinnati Reds, defeated the Los Angeles White Sox on the Vernon diamond by the count of 7 to 0. Schneider allowed but four hits and slammed out a homer and a double. John Donaldson, the colored Matthewson, was on the mound for the Sox and was hit hard. he was wild and the harbor players hit him almost at will."

March 3, 1917

Vernon, CA San Pedro Team to Play Sox Nine - The San Pedro and Los Angeles baseball teams will battle at Maier's park, Vernon, tomorrow afternoon in a first of a series of two games. Pat Harkins, who is working out with the Vernon Tigers, will pitch for San Pedro while Mooney will work for the colored team."

Vernon, CA
"Donaldson, Left Field"

March 4, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"In the third game of San Pedro L.A. White Sox series the White Sox won, 2 to 1. Mooney hurled a nifty game, letting the harbor boys down with five hits. The colored club won by bunching three hits in the eighth for the run that broke the 1-1 tie."

March 11, 1917

Pasadena, CA
"Tiger Battery to Oppose White Sox - Pitcher Valencia and Catcher Sullivan of the Vernon Tigers will be turned over to the Pasadena club Sunday to be used in the game against the Los Angeles White Sox. The game will be played on the Pasadena grounds. The Pasadena and Vernon clubs will meet a week from Sunday."

Pasadena, CA
"On Sunday, March 11, the crack Los Angeles White Sox played the Pasedena team in that city. The white boys had no chance with the the Sox, as Donaldson was on the mound. As usual, the Sox won, 13 to 2."

Pasadena, CA
"Polly McLarry is sore in limb and mind. He has a sore arm that troubles him so much that he dislikes to throw. Then someone circulated the report that the Los Angeles White Sox pitcher struck him out four times at Pasadena Sunday. He denies such was the case, but some of his teammates state it was so."

March 16, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"Semi-Pro Leaguers Post Forfeit Money - Fourteen teams in the Southern California Class A Semi-Pro Baseball association have placed nearly $4000 with O.F. Merpall as guarantee that they will finish out the league season. The following teams have deposited their entrance fees: Pasadena, Southern Pacific, Pacific Electric, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Western Billiards, Los Angeles White Sox, Sherman, San Gabriel, Anheuser Busch, Standard-Murphy, Brea, Fullerton and the Pacific Light and Power teams. Joe Rafferty and O.F. Merpall are planning to start a class B league in a few days among the semi-pro teams of Sourthern California."

March 18, 1917

Vernon, CA
"The L.A. White Sox unraveled the P.E. team at Vernon yesterday afternoon, 9 to 8. The hitting of Donaldson, the pitcher for the colored club, featured the game. He made a triple, two doubles, and a single in four times at bat."

March 20, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"Announce Schedule of Semi-Pro League - The schedule of the first week's play of the Southern California class A semi-pro baseball league was adopted today. The Southern Pacific team will play at Santa Barbara Sunday, the Pacific Electrics will go to San Gabriel, the Western Billiards to Vernon to play the Los Angeles White Sox, the P.L and P. to Brea and the Desmonds to Sherman. The San Diego and Anheuser-Busch teams were dropped from the league. The Pasadena team is idle because a game has been scheduled there next Sunday by the Vernon Tigers with Urey's crew."

March 25, 1917

Vernon, CA
"Wilbur Rogan, the pitcher from Honolulu who made his first appearance here yesterday at Vernon, is some pumpkins. He is touted as the best pitcher of the Hawaiian islands, and he seems to be all of that. He held the Westerns to one hit and two runs yesterday. Also Rogan made three triples and a single in four times at bat, helping the L.A. White Sox to beat the Westerns, 10 to 2. Rogan fanned fourteen men. He was a little wild, as he has not pitched for several weeks. His wildness and errors gave the Westerns their two runs in the first round and thereafter they were helpless."

April 4, 1917

Los Angeles, CA
"County League Will Open Season Saturday - Bill Cornett will open his Los Angeles County League Saturday, April 21. The teams are to play each Saturday. Following are the clubs entered in that circuit: Home Telephones, Los Angeles County team, Pioneer Paper, Roberti Bros., Ed Knox, Los Angeles White Sox, L.A. Athletic Club, and Soldiers' Home."

April 8, 1917

Vernon, CA
"Sox Meets Pacific Electric team - The Los Angeles White Sox will meet Dan Tobey's Pacific Electric team at Maier Park Sunday. John Donaldson will be in the box for the Sox."

Vernon, CA
"The L.A. White Sox were defeated yesterday afternoon at Vernon by the Pacific Electric ball club, 7 to 1. Harry Stewart pitched splended ball for the winners, holding the colored nine to five hits."

April 15, 1917

Vernon, CA
"Game for White Sox - The Los Angeles White Sox and the Tufts-Lyon baseball team will meet Sunday afternoon at Vernon park."

Los Angeles, CA
"Amateur and Semi-Pro Notes - Los Angeles White Sox 2 Games Played, 1 Win, 1 Loss Pct .500. The schedule of play for the 15th is as follows: Tufts Lyon vs. L.A. White Sox, at Maier park."

April 29, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"John Donaldson, the famed Negro pitcher, will make his first Kansas City appearance of the season Sunday at Association Park, when he will hurl for the Schmelzers against the Kansas Side Giants, a Negro team. Donaldson just arrived from Los Angeles, where, it is said, he pitched twenty-two games and lost only three of them. Opposed to Donaldson Sunday will be another Negro star, Rogan, a member of the Twenty-fifth Infantry at Honolulu, is here on furlough, and will pitch for the Kansas Side Giants.

Newspaper Report on April 29 about the upcoming 1917 season in North Dakota:
Grand Forks, ND
"ALL NATIONS TO TOUR THIS STATE AGAIN - World's Famous Baseball Team Plans Trip Through the Northwest. - The All-Nation's baseball team, known in every section of the United States, will again tour North Dakota this summer, according to information received yesterday from Manager J. E. Gaul of Kansas City, Missouri, where the members of the team are now in spring training. For the past five seasons this team has made a trip through this state and during this time, has played in practically every city and village of any size. According to Gaul, the organization is faster and stronger than ever with Donaldson, the famous negro pitcher, in the best condition of his career. Donaldson has been playing around Los Angeles for the past several months, clashing with some of the fastest league clubs in the west, but only lost two out of 24 games. Others who are still playing with the All Nations are Jose Mendez, Cuban pitcher, Hernandez, Torriente, Frank Blukoi Blattner, and many others. Gaul has already picked his team and has 76 fast men on the utility list, that he will be glad to furnish to any North Dakota nine that is looking for material. Clubs wanting dates with the All Nations will locate the squad in Kansas City, in care of the Schmelzer Arms Co.

May 5, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"John Donaldson, the star colored baseball pitcher, will pitch Sunday's game at Association Park. The game is Schmelzer All Nations vs. Nebraska Indians."
Kansas City, MO
"Base Ball - Association Park - Saturday and Sunday May 5 and 6 - Schmelzer's All Nations vs. Nebraska Indians - Admission 25cents. - Grand Stand 15 cents extra."

Kansas City, MO
"The Nebraska Indians lived up to their press notices yesterday when they displayed 15 genuine American Indians who can really play baseball. The All-Nations won, 7 to 6."

May 6, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"ALL NATIONS BEAT INDIANS. - The Schmelzer All-Nations took the Nebraska Indians into camp for the second time Sunday afternoon at Association Park by a 5 to 4 count. The Indians scored all their tallies in the opening round, but, after that, John Donaldson, the noted Negro hurler, made them look helpless at the bat. The All-Nations scored their first counters in the fourth frame, when Rogan tripled with a runner on and a moment later he stole home. They put over two more runs in the fifth frame and the winning tally was made in the sixth. Donaldson struck out 12 and Myers, his opponent, whiffed 11."

Kansas City, MO
Same game, different newspaper:
"Struck out - by Donaldson, 12; by Meyers, 11."

May 12, 1917

St. Joseph, MO
"All-Nations 9, South Parks, 1."

May 13, 1917

St. Joseph, MO
"Struck out - by Kinnen, 2; by Donaldson, 7"

May 16, 1917

Topeka, KS
"All Nations 8, Giants 2."

May 17, 1917

Topeka, KS
"The Schmelzer's All Nations in the final game of the series yesterday completely outclassed the Johnson's Giants in every department and defeated them by the score of 11 to 1. Donaldson, the famous negro pitcher, who holds a record of winning sixty out of sixty-five games he pitched last season, went on the mound for the visitors. His twisters so completely baffled his opponents, the management of the All Nations jerked him. On the other hand, the All Nations got to Harrison in the early part of the game and clouted him so hard he was forced to give way to McClelland. A good crowd saw the game. Batteries: All Nations - Donaldson, Mendez, and Coleman, Beck. Giants - Harrison, McClelland, and Jones."

May 24, 1917

Pleasanton, KS
"All Nations 8, Pleasanton, 6. John Donaldson Pitching."

May 26, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"All Nations humbled the St. Louis Giants, 5 to 1, in the first of a 5-game series at Association Park yesterday afternoon. Gatewood, the star battler of the negro team, was not started after a thorough warm-up, whereupon Manager Gaul sent John Donaldson back to the stable. Three hurlers will work in the game at 3 o'clock this afternoon."

June 2, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"All Nations 4, St. Louis Giants 3."

June 3, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"The All-Nations repeated their victory over the Kansas City Giants yesterday at Association Park, winning by a big rally in the eighth inning, 4 to 0. Lefty Smith had held the nations helpless up to that time."

June 9, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"Lincoln Cleaning and Dye Works team lost a game to the All-Nations of Kansas City today, the final count standing 9 to 5. The All-Nations ran in four tallies in the first inning, getting a lead which the Cleaners could not overcome."

June 10, 1917

Kansas City, MO
"The All-Nations won from the Lincoln Amateur champions Sunday in an easy game, the heavy hitting of the All-Nations being the only feature of the game. Batteries: All Nations - Donaldson, Torriente, and Coleman: Lincoln - Meyers, Stevenson, Miller, and Beyer."

June 28, 1917

Greenwood, NE
"Greenwood 2, All Nations 4. Batteries: Mason and Hansen; Barnes, Donaldson, Yendez, and Coleman."

June 29, 1917

Greenwood, NE
"The All Nations - the team from Kansas City which will collide with the Lincoln Cleaners at the Capitol Beach park the afternoon of the Fourth - Inaugurated its Nebraska trip Thursday at Greenwood, where the K.C. aggregation trounced the Cass County athletes 4 to 2. Greenwood imported several players for the occasion and gave the tourists a merry argument. Batteries, Barnes, Donaldson, Yendez, and Coleman; Mason and Hansen."

June 30, 1917

Omaha, NE
"All Nations 10, Brandeis 3. Donaldson, left field"

July 1, 1917

Omaha, NE
"The first game went to the visitors by a 7 to 2 score, and "Broom" Donaldson, the crack colored slab artist, bested Morrie Olson in the second, the score being 4 to 2."

July 2, 1917

Omaha, NE
"The pitchers' battle went 11 innings. Kirchner, pitching for David City, weakened in the eleventh inning and the All Nations got five runs. The score was the All Nations 6, David City 1. It was a game worth several times the price."

July 3, 1917

Omaha, NE
"In the second game with the All Nations, on Tuesday, July 3, the David City team struck a slump and met an 8 to 1 defeat."

July 4, 1917

Lincoln, NE
"Weird pitching by the Lincoln Cleaner slabsters enabled the All-Nations to romp off with the long end of a 12 to 2 score in the Fourth of July encounter. Staged at the Capital Beach ball park. Donaldson, the famous colored hurler, fanned ten of the Cleaners, but was pounded for nine hits. The Cleaners used three pitchers, Shagard, Luse and Holmberg, and their inability to locate the plate made the going easy for the All-Nations."

July 5, 1917

Lincoln, NE
"Stolen Bases, Coleman, Donaldson, Steno, Grant, Bloodgood."

July 9, 1917

Beaver City, NE
"All Nations 11, Beaver City 5."

July 10, 1917

Cambridge, NE
"All Nations 8, Cambridge 4. John Donaldson, Center Field."

July 11, 1917

Palisade, NE
"All Nations lose at Palisade - The All Nations team of Kansas City bumped into their first defeat of its Nebraska tour when it lost to Palisade last Wednesday, 11 to 7."

July 15, 1917

Julesburg, CO
"Julesburg, Colorado, July 16. - The All-Nations ball team from Kansas City won from the Julesburg team by the score of 6 to 1. Donaldson, pitching for the Kansas City team, held the Julesburg team to no hits. This Donaldson is considered the best in the semi-pro ranks. The Kansas City team plays Sidney, Nebraksa team today."

July 16, 1917

Sidney, NE
"The Kansas City team plays Sidney, Nebraksa team today."

July 17, 1917

Brush, CO
"Tuesday, Brush, Colorado."

July 18 1917

Casper, WY
"Wednesday, Casper, Wyoming."

July 19, 1917

Guernsey, WY
"Thursday, Guernsey, Wyoming."

July 20, 1917

Cheyenne, WY
"Saturday and Sunday, the Cheyenne Indians at Cheyenne."

July 21, 1917

Cheyenne, WY
"Saturday and Sunday, the Cheyenne Indians at Cheyenne."

July 24, 1917

Casper, WY
"In the first of a series of two games between the Casper Feds and the World's All Nations, the latter yesterday afternoon shut out the locals by a score of 5 to 0. The event was staged at the Athletic Park before a large representation of local fans. The second game of the series is in progress this afternoon and the attendance promises to exceed that of yesterday."

Casper, WY
"The All-Nation team from Kansas City won a double header from Casper, Wyoming, the first one by the score of 5 to 0. The batteries were: Casper: Loy and Hogan; All-Nations, Barnes and Coleman. The second score ended in favor of the All-Nations, 6 to 4. Batteries: Casper: Chief Hungry and Hogan; All-Nations, Torriente, Donaldson and Coleman. The Casper team so far has lost only these two game, and had a clean slate until the All Nations struck them, but the Kansas City nine knew they were in the game. The Casper team probably will play in the Post tourney next month."

July 26, 1917

Thermopolis, WY
"The ball game here Thursday afternoon between the local team and the All Nations ended in a shut out... illegible...

July 27, 1917

Worland, WY
"All Nations 13, Worland 5."

July 29, 1917

Casper, WY
"Struck out - by Hicks 6, by Donaldson 1."

Same game, different newspaper:
Casper, WY
"CASPER WINS AND LOSES AT BASEBALL - Casper, Wyoming, August 2 - Casper won and lost when she met Kirby and the World's All Nations ball teams on the home diamond. In the first game Casper took a 4 to 1 victory from Kirby in the second she lost to the All Nations with an 11 to 1 score.

July 30, 1917

Omaha, NE
"John Donaldson, Clarence Coleman, Joe Mendez and Cristobal Torriente, members of the famous All Nations baseball club, are guests at the Patton hotel."