Recently unearthed newspaper article about John Donaldson and
the Tennessee Rats Baseball Team


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John Donaldson The article reads:
  Eldora defeated the Tennessee Rats in three straight games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Rats were entirely outclased.
One week later, the same weekly paper wrapped up the Eldora baseball team's season. However, according to our records, the story is wrong regarding the Tennessee Rats. In the year 1911, we show that Eldora lost one game against the Rats, but won four games against them.
BALL SEASON CLOSED
Eldora Winds Up Year With Championship of State in Its Class.
  The Eldora baseball team has closed the season with a small deficit but with the satisfaction of being the champion team of the state among the semi-professional ball teams.
  The season opened June 13 and the team has won practically every series played since that time. Among the strong teams that they have met and conquered are those supported by Humboldt, Mason City, Estherville, Charles City and Clear Lake. In addition to these they played with strong teams such as those of Waterloo, Ackley, Dysart, Webster City, Bussey, Grundy Center, the Walker Giants and they defeated the champions of southern Iowa, the Washington team, in a series played in Washington.
  Following is the record:
  Games won, 48; games lost, 30; tied, 1.
  Shutout games against us, 7.
  Shutout games against our opponents, 14.
  Total scores made by Eldora, 422; total scores made against us, 250.
  The result of the games played is summarized as follows:
  With Estherville-Lost 1, won 2, both shutouts.
  With Washington-Lost 1, won 2, both shutouts.
  Tennessee Rats-Lost 1, won 3, shutouts.
  Humboldt-Won 13, lost 9.
  Charles City-Won 7, lost 2.
  Mason City-Won 4, lost 3.
  Clear Lake-Won 3, lost 4.
  Webster City-Won 2, lost 0.
  Waterloo-Won 1, lost 0.
  Ackley-Won 2, lost 0, one shutout.
  Grundy Center-Won 1, lost 0.
  Dysart-Won 1, lost 0.
  Bussey-Won 1, lost 0.
  Walker Giants-Won 2, lost 0.
  Dows-Won 2, lost none, one shutout.
  In the last eighteen games with such clubs as Estherville, Washington and the Tennessee Rats our club piled up 119 scores to our opponents 31, shutting out the opponents in nine games.
John Donaldson


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