John Wesley Donaldson

Newspaper Clippings about Southpaw Pitcher John Donaldson

April-June 1912 John Donaldson Games

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

April 19, 1912

Oelwein, IA
"Among the many teams that have booked games with the local management are the Boston Bloomer Girls team, and the All Nation team. This team will tour the country and have ten different nationalities with them, not mentioning the great Carrie Nation who is considered by all the greatest lady ball player in the world."

May 5, 1912

Des Moines, IA
"Donaldson, the All Nation pitcher is in wonderful form..."

May 9, 1912

Anita, IA
"On Thursday, May 9th, the local base ball team will open the season, the game to be with the "All Nation Base Ball Club," a traveling base ball team under the direction of J.L. Wilkinson. Just what line up the Anita team will have this year is hard to say as yet."

"The ball game at the ball park in Anita Thursday between the All Nation ball team and a picked up team played her position much better than expected. "

May 10, 1912

Exira, IA
"All Nations Ball Club vs Exira Boosters - The All Nation Team has players from Scotland, Creek Nation, America, Japan, Mexico, Cuba, Turkey, Africa, Greece, China, and Carrie Nation - the best all round Lady ball player before the public. The Exira Team is made up of Americans - the Country that produces the greatest athletes in the world. This will be a great game. Admission 25c, Children 15c. - Exira Diamond Friday Afternoon, May 10, 1912."

Exira, IA
"Ball Team Here - The American All Nations Ball Club traveling about the country in their private car, spent the night here, having come from Anita where they were defeated yesterday in a ten inning game by a score of 4 to 3. The game was a good one, but two errors being made by each team. The team went up to Exira this morning for a game there today. The team is owned by L. Wilkinson, a brother of Ray Wilkinson, a photographer who works for Egbert. Mr. Wilkinson and wife travel with the team, having private apartments in the special car. Mr. Wilkinson was formerly a fast ball player himself but he does not play with the team now."

Exira, IA
"All Nations vs Exira - Started Off with the Hopkins Bros. Aggregation Composed of Ten Men from Ten Countries. - The ball game scheduled for last Friday, where Exira played nine men from as many different countries and known as the 'Club of All Nations and Carrie' versus Exira Boosters, came on time and the game was called before a fine audience at 3:00p.m. Our boys, not having played together since last year were easy in the hands of the experts. The score was 15 to 6."

May 12, 1912

Omaha, NE
"All-Nations Go Down Before Storz Triumphs - Pa's Preserve the Scene of as Interesting Ten-Inning Game as Ever Pulled Off There. - The Storz Triumphs defeated the All-Nations in a hard ten-inning battle at Rourke Park Sunday. A large crowd was in attendance and responded in an appreciative manner in the sharp fielding that characterized the play of both clubs. John Donaldson, a long, lank dusky boy, was on the hill for the All-Nations and twirled a sensational game. He fanned eighteen, but showed a few streaks of wildness that proved fatal. It was his own error that allowed the Triumphs to tie up the contest in the ninth, and then win out in the tenth. Bradford's boys played magificent work, also Probst's twirling was of the high class order. After the fourth the All-Nations were retired in one, two, three order until the ninth, when Ben Reeves secured a scratch single."

May 16, 1912

Tekamah, NE
"The business houses closed at three o'clock and everyone went to see the game."

May 18, 1912

Sioux City, IA
"The feature of the struggle was the flinging of Donaldson, the Cuban pitcher with the traveling club."

May 19, 1912

Sioux City, IA
"The All-Nations won their second game from the Johnson Biscuit Company club in a fast and interesting game of ten innings."

May 20, 1912

Sheldon, IA
"Company E, the local militia, contested for baseball honors with the 'All Nations' ball team on Monday evening..."

May 22, 1912

Worthington, MN
"Struck out - By Rieger, 4, (Means 2, Nation, 2); By Donaldson, 10."

May 24, 1912

Mitchell, SD
"In the evening the grounds were lighted with electricity, and there was a big crowd out to see the game."

May 25, 1912

Sioux Falls, SD
"Struck out, by Baker 4, by Donaldson, 14."

May 26, 1911

Sioux Falls, SD
"The crowd Sunday was the largest that has been seen on the local grounds for a number of years."

May 28, 1912

Marshall, MN
"Struck out by Sherin 10, Dunbar 13."

May 29, 1912

Kerkhoven, MN
"Out team lost to the All Nations team Wednesday..."

May 31, 1912

Beardsley, MN
"The All Nations ball team played the Graceville boys at our ball park last Friday night by gas light."

June 1, 1912

Graceville, MN
"The first game was played here Saturday and was a good exhibition although the locals never had a chance to win because of the marvelous pitching of Donaldson, the colored pitcher with the All Nation team."

June 2, 1912

Browns Valley, MN
"Then in the ninth Donaldson was sent in and the hitting stopped suddenly."

June 3, 1912

Hancock, MN
"The boys were out-classed, of course as the All Nations are a salaried team that make the game a profession..."

June 5, 1912

Paynesville, MN
"The indoor game in the evening was witnessed by a large crowd but when that much is said silence is better."

June 9, 1912

Melrose, MN
"Struck out - by Donaldson 16, by Young 6."

June-July 1912 John Donaldson Games

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

June 10, 1912

Osakis, MN
"The All Nation team, traveling in their own private car, winners of 28 out of 32 games played, defeated the locals..."

June 11, 1912

Bertha, MN
"The game was one of the best ever witnessed in this neck of the woods."

June 16, 1912

Superior, WI
"All Nations on Baseball Teams - Aggregation to play the Jacksons of Superior Two Games - The All-Nation baseball team, one of the Hopkins Bros. enterprises, composed of players representing different nationalities, will play in Superior next Saturday and Sunday. Manager Charles Wedge of the Jacksons has closed a contract for two games with the Japanese-Mexican-Cuban-Turkish-African-Greek-Indian-American contingent, and will have the fastest bunch obtainable.
The team travels under the name All Nation Baseball Club and has, among others on its staff, one Carrie Nation. The female plays the initial sack and according to press clippings is one of the fastest all around players on the unique team. The nine is making a tour of the country and since leaving Des Moines has played twenty-six games and won twenty-four of these. They line up: Perry, shortstop; Wabum, right field; Crow, third base; Reeves, catcher; Blatnier, second base; Cabinas, center field; Donaldson, pitcher; Nozackum, left field; Carrie Nation, first base.

All Nation Team Plays Real Ball - by Bugs. - Down at the Hislop inclosure Saturday and Sunday the fan who relishes spice and variety with his afternoon pastime will be treated to a conflict that will be served with all the trimmings and thrills usually attendant upon a game with a dark horse nine. The All-Nation team will arrive in the city Friday evening for the two-game series with the Jackson team. The impending warfare is out of the line hewn by amusement promoters heretofore and unusual interest has attached to the coming exhibition, not only because of the heralded ability of the Mixtures, but on account of the collection of creeds and colors. "Motley" is the only word that describes this tribe of varied talent.
Here's what will face the Jacksons in the weekend display: A Chinaman whose physique tallies closely with the size of a Spalding bat; an Indian who acquired his "stick talent" by swinging a tomahawk in the Custer massacre; a Turk who doesn't smoke cigarettes, a Mexican revolutionist, a Cuban insurgent, a smoke hurler who averages 15 "S.O.'s" per game, a straw-hat cleaner from Greece; a Japanese, an American, and Carrie Nation. The last named personage is a woman, swings a bat with more energy and vigor than her namesake ever wielded the hatchet and furthermore she burns up the first base region within a 15-foot radius.

Ball Team is Cosmopolitan - Traveling Organization Includes Members of Many Nationalities - Fast Jackson Team Hooks Up Today and Tomorrow with the 'All Nations' Outfit. - Weather permitting the Jacksons open a two-game series with the 'All Nations' team at Hislop Park this afternoon. The two aggregations are scheduled to meet again tomorrow and with the league team out of the city and fair weather the unique contest is expected to bring out hundreds of fans who are looking for Sunday recreation. The Jacksons last evening held final practice before the scheduled contest today and Manager Wedge announces that he will have a strong aggregation on the field.
Included on the roster of the traveling club's organization are a negro, a Mexican, an Indian, Cuban, Turk, and a woman. The latter is 'Carrie Nation' of Bloomer Girl fame. The latter organization played here last season and the Nation woman proved a great favorite on account of her base-ball playing ability. She plays first base. The teams will line up: Jacksons - Van Orman, catcher; Schweitzer, Hendrickson, pitchers; Amundsen, shortstop; Buchanan, first base; Dobie, second base; Ennis, third base; Hope, Schuster, right field; Christensen, Nace, center field; Newberg, left field.
All Nations - Reeves, catcher; Donaldson, Mendez, pitchers; Sage, shortstop; Carrie, first base; Blatnier, second base; Crow, third base; Meanus, right field; Dunbar, center field; Wabum, left field.

International Baseball War - Contest at Hislop Park This Afternoon Takes on That Aspect. - Jacksons of Superior Opposed by the All Nations - First Base is Occupied for Visitors by Best Female Player in the World. - The first exhibition of the 'international warfare' scheduled between the Jacksons of this city and the All-Nations at Hislop Park will be staged this afternoon. The invading team will arrive in the city this morning. The All-Nation team is traveling from state-to-state, leaving a stone-wall record behind. Twenty five out of 33 games played is the string of victories credited to this motley squad, and these have been won without protestation or wrangling, on merit. Manager Wedge is not unprepared for the conflict, and last night his men performed in the last workout preliminary to the two-game series. The game will be called sharp at 3 o'clock by Umpire Jack Landry.
Among the players on the All-Nation staff are Donaldson, a negro, and Mendez, a Mexican. These men constitute the pitching staff, and together have formed one of the strongest duets in baseball circles. Of Donaldson a press clipping says in part, "Any 'Smoke' twirler who can fan 18 of the Triumphs ought to whitewash himself and get in the big league." The colored player fanned 18 in a game with the Storz Triumphs and then lost his game. Mendez is also a capable pitcher and has a volley of benders at command. The woman, Carrie Nation, is acknowledged to be the best female ball player in the world. She holds down first base. The two teams will line up: Jacksons - Van Orman, catcher; Schweitzer, Hendrickson, pitchers; Amundsen, shortstop; Buchanan, first base; Dobie, second base; Ennis, third base; Hope, Schuster, right field; Christensen, Nacey, center field; Newberg, left field. All Nations - Reeves, catcher; Donaldson, Mendez, pitchers; Sage, shortstop; Carrie, first base; Blatnier, second base; Crow, third base; Meanus, right field; Dunbar, center field; Wabum, left field.

Weeping Skies Bar Ball Game - All-Nations and Jacksons Fail to Come Together, Will Meet Today - With every indication of a rain storm in sight, added to the miserable condition of Hislop park grounds, fans yesterday decided to postpone their attendance at the Jackson-All Nation game until today, and as a consequence the conflict was not. True, there were some fans on hand, but these were perched on top of the boxcars which were siding outside the fence. Managers Gaul and Wedge of the two teams were in anything but a philanthropic mood and, therefore, the 'loyal fans' were compelled to walk back to town without a glimpse of the inimitable Carrie in action. The grounds were wet, so wet, in fact, that a man was put to work with dipper and pail to reduce the contents of the small lakes. After lessening the dimensions by several gobs, he looked at his barometer and decided it would rain again soon, and quit.
Both teams were on the field in uniform, but there were too many obstacles to confront to stage even a mediocre exhibition, and after a conference the contest was cancelled. If the fans turn out today it is possible that the management of the Jackson team will be able to meet expenses for the two days' engagement. Considerable expense has been involved in bringing the All-Nations here, and some encouragement is needed to boost the efforts of Manager Wedge in filling the gap made by the Red Sox tour with interesting entertainment and a good class of ball. Siphons, sponges, and men without barometers will be on hand today to get the diamond in sufficiently good shape to permit a game to be played, if need be.

Fast Contest to All Nations - Inability of Jacksons to Hit the 'Smoke' Twirler, Principle Figure in Defeat - Home Run Under Fence Gives Visitors One Score - Nacey Makes Lone Tally for Locals Through Stealing Second and Third Bases - Donaldson, the 'smoke' twirler of the All-National team, had the Jacksons at his mercy yesterday, striking out 21, but at that the locals would have stood a chance to get away with the best end of the score except for the lucky home-run swat by Perry, which went under the left field fence and the peg made by Hendrickson toward the utenanted third sack to beat Wabun, the latter scoring. Of the seven hits made by the visitors, one of them off Schweitzer, who went in for the eighth inning, only four were clean bingles, luck figuring in with the other three. The first five Jacksons up whiffed and not a hit was registered by the locals until the third inning when Schuster laid a little one down along the third base line which Reeves pursued with the expectation that it would roll outside. The next was made by Nacey in the fourth when he sent one towards Donaldson of the same slow kind. Van Orman's swat to right field in the fifth was the first real hit, duplicated by A. Buchanan and Hope in the seventh for the only other safe ones.
Nervy Base-Running - The Jacksons' single score was made by Nacey largely on nervy base-running, he stealing second and third and being beat out of the honor of stealing home by a swat from Dobie's bat to short which resulted in both being safe. Poor track performances by some of the other Jacksons blighted what looked good for at least one score on three occasions. In the third with nobody down Schuster allowed himself to be tagged easily in an attempted steal of third, lacking the energy to make a fight for it; in the fifth Hope's lagging steps on an attempt to steal second cost him his life, and in the same inning Schuster was caught at third by a throw from right field. The score made by the All Nations in the seventh was due to a double, a nice single and a scatch hit, Dunbar coming through with the two-sacker after Reeves had singled. Donaldson sent a hot one through Hendrickson which brought in Reeves.

The game was witnessed and thoroughly enjoyed by a large crowd. The umpiring of Jack Landry was such as to make many wish he were holding the indicator in the See-Eye league. From the viewpoint of the crowd he was not only fair but accurate in his judgement, the few which he miscalled being plays on bases which he did not and could not be expected to see because of plays of other parts of the diamond for which he was naturally watching. Pitcher Whole Show - Donaldson did about all the work for the visitors, but his teammates were busy enough to show that they are much above the average of such aggregations. Carrie Nation, the girl at first, enlivened the proceedings considerably. The playing of the locals was mostly good, but far from sensational. With the exception of the first and seventh innings. Hendrickson pitched ball for the locals, the six hits made off him coming three in each of those rounds, which were the only ones in which more than three men faced him. After passing his first man up in the eighth Schweitzer settled down and got the next three and but four came up in the ninth inning. Summary: Home Run, Perry. Two-base hits, Dunbar, Donaldson. Base on balls, off Schweitzer in two innings, 1; off Donaldson, 1. First base on errors, Amundsen. Struck out by Hendrickson in 7 innings, 1; by Schweitzer, 2; by Donaldson, 21. Stolen bases, Nacey, 2; Amundsen, Hope, Reeves. Left on bases, Jacksons 4; All-Nations, 5. Time 1:30. Umpire Jack Landry.

Pitcher Fans 21 Jacksons - Colored Hurler Hogs Put Outs and Nations Win 3 to 1 from Locals. - Phenomenal Twirling is All that Saved Visitors from Beating Locals. - Phenomenal hurling by Donaldson, a colored pitcher, was all that allowed the All-Nation team to get away with a 3 to 1 victory over the Jacksons at Hislop Park yesterday afternoon. The dinge struck out 21 batsmen. Also, a hard hit ball rolled under the left field palings, which allowed Perry, a visiting batsman, a lucky homer, materially assisted the visitors in grabbing the honors. Hendrickson and Schweitzer did the heaving for the locals. Schweitzer relieved Hendrickson in the eighth inning. Both hurlers showed up well. Six bingles were made off Hendrickson and one off the German. Only four of the seven safeties were unsavory. Donaldson held the Jacks to a quintet of safe blows. The locals scored their only run in the fourth. Nacey registered the tally following a display of pretty base running when he pilfered second and third. He came home when Dobie rolled on into the infield and all hands were safe on a fielder's choice. Otherwise the base running of the Jacks was poor and checked them from possible scores. A fairly large attendance was at the game. Jack Landry did the arbitrating and his work was good, the decisions all being satisfactory. Carrie Nation played first for the All Nation club and her work as usual, was spectacular. Summary: Home run, Perry. Two-base hits, Dunbar, Donaldson. Base on balls, off Schweitzer in 2 innings; 1. off Donaldson, 1. First base, on errors, Amundsen. Struck out by Hendrickson in 7 innings, 1; by Schweitzer, 2; by Donaldson, 21. Stolen bases, Nacey, 2; Amundsen, Hope, Reeves. Left on bases, Jacksons, 4; All Nations, 5. Time 1:30. Umpire, Jack Landry."

June 17, 1912

Chisolm, MN
"A large crowd went to the ball park Monday evening to witness the base ball game between the All Nations and the Chisolm regulars."

June 18, 1912

Virginia, MN
"Stolen bases, Myers, 1; Thomas, 1, Nation, 1; Donaldson, 1; Wabun, 1. Attendance, 500."

June 19, 1912

Biwabik, MN
"They also won from Biwabik in a day game..."

June 20, 1912

Eveleth, MN
"All Nations are Too Much for Mohamis"

June 21, 1912

Hibbing, MN
"Struck out by Grady, 2, by Donaldson, 9."

June 22, 1912

Hibbing, MN
"Donaldson, cf..."

June 23, 1912

Hibbing, MN
"Struck out by Donaldson 13, by Grady two in five innings, by Booth one in four innings."

June 24, 1912

Duluth, MN
"A thousand people turned out to see the Duluth exhibition and were much interested in the novel contest."

June 25, 1912

Superior, WI
"The Superior Red Sox league players showed the crack All Nations team how to handle the big indoor ball last night..."

June 26, 1912

Grand Rapids, MN
"The local players were hampered considerably by being unfamiliar with indoor ball..."

June 28, 1912

Cass Lake, MN
"Base ball by electric light was something decidedly new to the locals in every particular..."

June 29, 1912

Bagley, MN
"The ball game on Saturday between the 'All Nations' team and the locals resulted in defeat for the locals..."

June 30, 1912

Bemidji, MN
"The All Nations is a strong aggregation."

July 2, 1912

Red Lake Falls, MN
"The All Nations are all stars and the team that defeats them must play some ball."

July 4, 1912

Moorhead, MN
"The second event will be a game scheduled for the Fourth with the All Nation Club."

Moorhead, MN
"Moorhead Baseball - Three Most Interesting Games are Scheduled for Athletics Who Will Have to Play. - Moorhead will not be without a game of baseball on the Fourth, for Manager Murray has scheduled games with a team which will be composed of men of all nations and there will be two games played, one at 3 and the other at 6:30 in the evening. The All Nations team is a traveling aggregation and is managed by a man named Gaul who says he has the real thing in baseball and two interesting games may be expected. The All Nations have played such strong teams as Duluth, Winnipeg and Hibbing and defeated them all. Remember the big game tomorrow when the Tennessee Rats will play the Moorhead athletics. This is a strong team of all colored men who can play the game and the athletics will have to go some to defeat them."

Moorhead, MN
"The next contest is to be played on the Fourth between Moorhead and the All-Nations."

Moorhead, MN
"The next games over at Moorhead will be played on July 4 when the All-Nations and athletics will be pitted against each other."

Moorhead, MN
"Moorhead is Sporty - Fargo Has to Cross the Red to See the Game of Baseball During the Summer. - Moorhead is looming up right well in the way of sports just now. When Fargo wants to see the real thing in baseball, or at least the real thing in the two cities, she has to cross the raging waters of the Red River and go to Moorhead. Fargo in a baseball way, as far as local games are concerned, has dropped clear out of sight and Moorhead has the honor of having the only team in this section which puts up the real article of ball. Of course it isn't real league ball, but it's the best the two towns can afford. Next Thursday, July 4, the athletics of the sister city will tackle the famous All-Nations baseball team which has been selected for playing ability and there will be two games played, one at 3 in the afternoon and the other at 8 in the evening. The All Nations is a great team and will give the athletics plenty to do."

Moorhead, MN
"The All Nations ball team shut out the Athletics on the Fourth..."

July 18, 1912

Towner, ND
"Donaldson, the dusky gent who did the twirling for the visitors, proved a conundrum for the Towner batters and they only scored two little hits while twenty strike-outs were chalked up against them."

July 19, 1912

Towner, ND
"Donaldson again starred when he pulled down Becket's long drive to left field retiring the side."

July 21, 1912

Sherwood, ND
"The big south paw was the best pitcher seen around this country for some time."