SUMMER 2007 By Peter W. Gorton uring the close of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, small towns across the United States commonly Dpitted their local baseball teams against teams from other nearby communities. Deep rivalries were created among these teams and towns. These rival- ries were not spawned by greed for prize money, but by something even more basic — regional bragging rights. Typical of these town ball rivalries were two Iowa communities: Fort Dodge and Lehigh. Fort Dodge called itself a “baseball town.” Every Sunday, fans in this rural In addition to being one of the greatest southpaw pitchers of his era, Donaldson could swing the Iowa community plunked down two bat well enough to play outfield when he was unable to pitch. The above image was pulled from a bits to see their team match skills recently uncovered hand-cranked film taken by Minnesotan Walter T. Oxley (1872-1955). 108 Donaldson, playing for Bertha, Minnesota, takes his cuts against Battle Lake, Minnesota, pitcher with teams from nearby towns or the BY Joe Jaeger, who played briefly for the Chicago Cubs. Bertha won the game, played in Fergus Falls, occasional barnstorming club. Several Minnesota in August 1925, 11-2. COURTESY W.T. OXLEY FAMILY miles away lay Lehigh, a grittier agri- ALTERED , cultural and coal-mining town. Every year, Lehigh longed to beat Fort Dodge in their annual baseball grudge match; Deep-pocketed Fort Dodge backers, to Donaldson because he was young or GRAPHICS the neighboring town, not surprisingly, flush with the extra cash, were eager because he was an African American. refused to cooperate. In September to bet on the big game. Whipple began The wisdom of Whipple’s $75 invest- 1912, things would change in Lehigh’s to put his plan in motion. ment (the amount Donaldson sought favor. Whipple arranged the purchase of for his services) depended solely on Rusty Whipple, one of the directors of 200 train tickets to transport Lehigh Donaldson’s skill on the mound — and TRANSCENDENTAL the Lehigh ball club, cooked up an in- fans to Fort Dodge for the big fall he was very skilled. genious plan for winning the big game. matchup. Whipple, however, saved The tricky part of the plan involved FROM Not only would Whipple’s scheme give one ticket for a player who would en- concealing the fact that John Donald- Lehigh bragging rights over its rival, sure a victory for Lehigh, a win that son was an African-American “ringer” PHOTO Whipple believed it would place the would make Fort Dodge spend the pitcher on the all-white Lehigh team. terminally-in-the-red Lehigh Baseball entire winter contemplating its defeat. If word got out that Donaldson was Club back in the black. Fittingly, the Whipple gave the ticket to a 21-year-old pitching for Lehigh, not even the most ORIGINAL money would come from Lehigh’s own African-American pitcher from Mis- ardent Fort Dodge fan would risk his rivals. With the onset of autumn, some souri named John Wesley Donaldson. money. Complicating matters, the game crops had been harvested and sold. Whipple, however, didn’t give the ticket was to be played on Fort Dodge’s home field. As if the challenge wasn’t big enough, Donaldson was no stranger to the Fort Dodge fans; they knew him John Donaldson showed fans well, for Donaldson had pitched for the barnstorming All Nations ballclub in Fort Dodge only days before, tossing a around the nation that two-hit shutout, while striking out 21. With the All Nations team having just NE DIAMOND completed its inaugural season, Donald- O son — on his way to becoming known character and skill do not depend as the “The World’s Greatest Colored Pitcher” — was free to use his enormous on the color of a person’s skin talent in exhibition games. Undaunted, AT A TIME 25 SUMMER 2007 backstage door to catch a glimpse of the crowd cheer and praise her son. Nations team. Donaldson quickly the performance. Harry Gillam, the She relented and became his most became the staff ace, well-known as African-American stage manager for enthusiastic fan. a strikeout pitcher. With each passing the troupe, noticed the curious teenager Donaldson sat in the empty railroad game, his reputation grew. Newspapers with the sparkling personality, and the car waiting to make his dramatic ap- hyped the games between the local two strangers conversed. Gillam shared pearance in Fort Dodge, Iowa. As a teams and the multicultural, barn- stories of his life on the road with the slight breeze carried the smell of freshly storming ballclub. One paper called wide-eyed youth. Gillam was a great popped, home-grown popcorn — the him the “sensation of the day;” still an- musician; but he was even more of a ideal treat for a sunny Saturday after- other chimed, “Donaldson, Great Negro showman — a flashy entertainer. Hear- noon — into the warm car, Donaldson Hurler;” and another proclaimed him as ing the older man’s tales, Donaldson smiled, wondering what his mother the “Big Smoke” as Donaldson’s reputa- longed to escape the limitations of the would think of her little boy now. tion expanded. In many communities Mason-Dixon Line. Unlike Gillam, how- When Glasgow businessman Will he was the first black pitcher fans had ever, music would not be Donaldson’s Hannaca formed an all-black team, ever seen, and his lightning fastball and ticket to enter the wider world beyond the Hannaca Blues, he penciled in the arching curve left lasting impressions the Glasgow city limits. 17-year-old Donaldson as his pitcher on fans across the Midwest — including In the back-lots of Glasgow, Donald- and outfielder. Making excursions to those sitting in the stands that Septem- son excelled at baseball, despite his nearby communities in the summers ber afternoon in Fort Dodge, Iowa. mother’s opposition to his participa- between 1908 and 1910, the hometown tion in the game, an opposition she club traveled sparingly. Newspaper ac- The heat of battle based on its rough reputation in that counts show that the young Donaldson Umpire Harry Dressinger, doubling as era. Donaldson, therefore, played ball was beginning to turn heads every- public address announcer, proclaimed on the sly. Left-handed and blessed with where he went. the starting lineups for both teams, a strong arm, Donaldson was always In 1911, Donaldson hit the rails in beginning with Fort Dodge. When the called upon to pitch because he could earnest. The flamboyant W.A. Brown, raucous crowd had ceased cheering throw the ball the farthest and the fast- owner and manager of Brown’s Ten- its hometown heroes, the umpire ran est. He quickly rose to prominence as nessee Rats Baseball Club and Minstrel through the first eight players for Le- the city’s best pitcher. Company based in nearby Holden, Mis- high. As he rattled off the names, the Donaldson kept his renown as a base- souri, plucked Donaldson away from gamblers could be heard shouting out ball player hidden from Ida until the Hannaca’s Blues. Brown had managed wagers. Finally, Dressinger declared, day she found a scorecard in his pants traveling teams for years and had paved “In the box for Lehigh … John Don- In another image pulled from the Oxley film, Donaldson fires a strike past an unidentified batter. In the August 1925 game between Bertha and pocket. Ida saw the record of her son’s a well-worn track to the cities of the aldson.” The Lehigh faithful screamed Battle Lake, Donaldson struck out 18 and allowed only five hits, winning the game 11-2. COURTESY W.T. OXLEY FAMILY hits, strikeouts, and putouts, and was Upper Midwest. The Tennessee Rats at the top of their lungs as Donaldson shocked to learn he was playing a game arrived in a town, set up a tent to host stepped from the train and jogged to of which she disapproved. Even more the minstrel show, and played a base- the hill in a Lehigh uniform. Whipple solved the puzzle. away from home — sat Ida Donaldson, a troubling to Ida, the scorecard revealed ball game before crammed stands. It didn’t take long for Donaldson See Donaldson play The morning of the game dawned alone in the railway devout woman, wanted that her son had violated the Sabbath In the early spring of 1912, Donald- @johndonaldson. to take command. He struck out the cool, yet holding the promise of late- car, deep in thought. bravehost.com her son John Wesley to by pitching on a Sunday. Recognizing son left Brown and the Rats and signed first eight batters without the ball ever summer heat. The Lehigh railway depot As he waited to take become a preacher, that she could not stop him from play- a contract with J.L. Wilkinson’s All touching a bat. Finally, the ninth Fort buzzed with passengers boarding for the ball in his hands, like his namesake, a ing the game he loved, she made him the trip to Fort Dodge. Almost the en- his thoughts drifted back to Glasgow, founder of the Methodist church. She vow never to play Sunday baseball or tire Lehigh team had taken an earlier Missouri. insisted that he remain faithful to Chris- to even watch it. “ train to give the players plenty of time tian teachings and to follow the “Golden Donaldson’s oath lasted only for I am clean morally and physically. I go to my church and to warm up. Donaldson and Whipple, Finding his passion Rule.” Donaldson must have listened a short time.