| Bill Donovan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1876-10-13)October 13, 1876 Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| Died: December 9, 1923(1923-12-09) (aged 47) Forsyth, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 22, 1898, for the Washington Senators | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 2, 1918, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 186–139 |
| Earned run average | 2.69 |
| Strikeouts | 1,552 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
William Edward Donovan (October 13, 1876 – December 9, 1923), nicknamed "Wild Bill" and "Smiling Bill", was an American right-handedbaseballpitcher andmanager.
Donovan playedMajor League Baseball for theWashington Senators (1898),Brooklyn Superbas (1899–1902), andDetroit Tigers (1903–1912). In 1901, he led theNational League with 25 wins. He later helped Detroit win three consecutiveAmerican League pennants from 1907 to 1909. In 1907, he compiled a 25–4 record with a 2.12earned run average (ERA). In 18 major league seasons, Donovan appeared in 378 games as a pitcher and compiled a 186–139 win–loss record with 289complete games and a 2.69 ERA in2,964+2⁄3 innings pitched.[1]
Donovan was also a better than average hitting pitcher, posting a .193batting average (251-for-1,302) scoring 142runs with 7home runs, 94RBI and drawing 77bases on balls.[1]
After retiring as a player, Donovan served as a manager and coach. He was the player-manager of theProvidence Grays in 1913 and 1914, leading the club to theInternational League pennant in 1914 with help from rookie pitcherBabe Ruth. He next served as player-manager of theNew York Yankees from 1915 to 1917. He served as a pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers in 1918 and managed theJersey City Skeeters in 1919 and 1920. He managed thePhiladelphia Phillies for the first half of the 1921 season and then concluded his career as manager of theHartfordEastern League team in 1922 and 1923. He died in a train crash in December 1923 while traveling to baseball's winter meetings.
Donovan was born in 1876 inLawrence, Massachusetts.[1] The family moved toPhiladelphia when Donovan was a baby. Donovan began playing baseball in Philadelphia'sFairmount Park and became a member of the Park Sparrows baseball team.[2]
Donovan made his major league debut at age 21 with theWashington Senators on April 22, 1898. That year, he appeared in 20 games as anoutfielder, 17 as a pitcher, and one game each as ashortstop andsecond baseman. As a pitcher, he compiled a 1–6 record with a 4.30earned run average (ERA). He did not fare well at the plate either, compiling a .165 batting average in 103 at bats.[1]
By 1898, Donovan had earned the nickname "Wild Bill" for his lack of control. On June 3, one of his pitches hitDummy Hoy in the ribs causing several hemorrhages. In his first six games, he reportedly "came within an ace of killing a man in each game".[3] After a relief appearance in early July, a sports writer expressed surprise that "'Wild Bill' Donovan went to the slab and finished the game without killing a soul."[3]
Later in his career, Donovan's control improved. Former umpireBilly Evans later wrote that the nickname was somewhat ironic because "control was Donovan's greatest asset" in the last ten years of his pitching career.[4] Yet, the dangerous image conjured up by the nickname worked in Donovan's favor, as noted by Evans: "Realizing the value of psychology, [Donovan] made use of the fear that the name 'Wild Bill' carried to every American League batsman. Few hitters hugged the plate with Donovan pitching, and at opportune moment Bill would cut loose with a wild pitch that would heighten the fear."[4]
Donovan began the 1899 season in the minor leagues with the Richmond Champions of theAtlantic League. He compiled a 17–4 record in 22 games for Richmond.[5]
On July 27, 1899, he was purchased by theBrooklyn Superbas for $500.[6] He appeared in only five games for Brooklyn in 1899, compiling a 1–2 record.[1]
In 1900, he spent most of the season with the Hartford Indians of the Eastern League. He appeared in 40 games and compiled a 25–14 record with a 3.81 ERA in 347 innings pitched.[5]
With a strong showing in Hartford, Donovan returned to Brooklyn and had one of the best seasons of his career. During the 1901 season, he appeared in 45 games, 38 as a starter, threw 36 complete games, and compiled a 25–15 record with a 2.77 ERA in 351 innings pitched. He led the National Leagues with 25 wins and 45 pitching appearances and ranked second with 226 strikeouts. He also led the league with 152 walks.[1]
In 1902, Donovan returned to Brooklyn and appeared in 35 games, 33 as a starter, threw 30 complete games, and compiled a 17–15 record with a 2.78 ERA.[1]
Prior to the 1903 season, Donovan jumped to theDetroit Tigers of theAmerican League. The move prompted litigation over Donovan's right to sign with the Tigers, with a resolution being reached allowing Donovan to join the Tigers. Donovan started 34 games for the Tigers in 1903 and led theAmerican League with 34 complete games. He also ranked among the league's leaders with 187 strikeouts (second), a 7.0wins above replacement rating for pitchers (third), and a 2.29 ERA (ninth).[1]
Donovan continued as a workhouse for the Tigers, appearing in 34 games in 1904 and 1905 and 25 games in 1906 while compiling ERAs of 2.46, 2.60 and 3.15.[1] On May 7, 1906, Donovan accomplished a rare feat when he stole second base, third, and on the front end of a double steal, took home in the fifth inning of an 8–3 victory over Cleveland. He also hit a triple in the same game.[7]
In 1907, Donovan emerged as one of the best pitchers in the game while leading Detroit to the American League pennant. He appeared in 32 games and compiled a 25–4 record with a 2.19 ERA. Hiswinning percentage of .862 led the American League.[1] On September 30, 1907, with the Tigers and Athletics competing for the American League pennant, the two contenders met before a record crowd in Philadelphia. Donovan, who had defeated the Athletics three days earlier, was called on to clinch the pennant for the Tigers. Donovan pitched all 17 innings in the clinching game, holding Philadelphia scoreless for the final 10 innings until the game was called as a tie due to darkness.[8][9]
Donovan started Game 1 of the1907 World Series, and the Tigers led in the ninth inning with two outs and Chicago'sHarry Steinfeldt on third base; Chicago pinch hitterDel Howard swung on a third strike that should have ended the game, but Detroit's catcherBoss Schmidt "missed the ball, which got by him to the crowd," allowing Steinfeldt to score the tying run. After Schmidt's error, Donovan held the Cubs scoreless for another four innings, but the game ended in a tie after 13 innings.[10]
In 1908, Donovan appeared in 29 games and compiled an 18–7 record with a 2.08 ERA.[1] And in 1909, he appeared in 24 games and compiled an 8–7 record with a 2.31 ERA.[1] The Tigers won three consecutive American League pennants from 1907 to 1909. In threeWorld Series, Donovan appeared in six games, all as a starter, pitched five complete games, and compiled a 1–4 record with a 2.88 ERA.[1]
Donovan continued to pitch well in 1910, compiling a 17–7 record with a 2.44 ERA. However, in 1911, Donovan appeared in only 20 games (his fewest since 1900), and his ERA increased to 3.31 (his highest since 1900). In 1912, he started only one game (allowing one run in five innings on May 30)[11] and made two relief appearances, compiling a 1–0 record and allowing one earned run in 10 innings pitched.[1]
In August 1912, Donovan was assigned to become the manager for theProvidence Grays, which was under common ownership with the Tigers.[12] In 1913, the Grays finished with a 69–80 record. In 1914, Donovan turned the club around, leading the Grays to a 95–59 record and the International League pennant.[5][2] Donovan also appeared in 20 games for the Grays from 1912 to 1914, compiling a 5–4 record.[5]
Donovan managed rookie pitcherBabe Ruth for the final month of the 1914 season.[13] Ruth won 10 of the 11 games in which he pitched for Donovan's Providence team.[14]
In December 1914, at baseball's winter meetings in Chicago, Donovan was hired by theNew York Yankees' new owners,Jacob Ruppert andTillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston, as the club's new manager.[15] Donovan took over a Yankees team that lacked stars and finished with a 70–84 record in 1914. The Yankees compiled a 69–83 record in their first year under Donovan, but improved to 80–74 in 1916 – the club's first winning record since 1910. In 1917, the Yankees lost multiple players to injury and regressed to 70–84.[5] After the 1917 season, the Yankees hiredMiller Huggins to replace Donovan as manager.[16] Owner Ruppert later said of Donovan: "He was a wonderful fellow and great leader. . . . I still think that barring injuries and hard luck Bill Donovan would have brought the Yankees their first pennant. The hardest thing I ever had to do was release him."[17]
During his 1915 and 1916 seasons, Donovan also appeared in 10 games as a pitcher for the Yankees, compiling a 0–3 record with a 4.67 ERA in34+2⁄3 innings pitched.[1]
In February 1918, Donovan returned to the Tigers as a pitching coach and scout. At the time of his hiring, theDetroit Free Press wrote: "Donovan will be welcomed in Detroit. A more popular player never represented Detroit than the "Smiler" and his friends here are legion."[18] The1918 Detroit Tigers finished 20 games out of first place. On the last day of the 1918 season, Donovan, at age 41, went to the mound for a final game as the club's starting pitcher. Facing off againstEddie Cicotte of theChicago White Sox, Donovan pitched five innings, gave up only one run, and won his 185th major league game.[19]
Donovan was hired as the manager of theJersey City Skeeters of the International League. He was the manager of the Jersey City team in both 1919 and 1920.[5]
In December 1920, Donovan was hired as the manager of thePhiladelphia Phillies. The Phillies had finished in last place in the National League in 1920, and team ownerWilliam Baker stated he was turning over full control of the team for rebuilding by Donovan.[2] On August 9, 1921, Donovan was dismissed as the Phillies' manager.[20] The dismissal was reportedly based on Baker's suspicion that Donovan had some knowledge of theChicago White Sox' attempt to throw the1919 World Series. Baseball commissionerKenesaw Mountain Landis later vindicated Donovan of any wrongdoing and ordered Baker to send Donovan a letter of apology.[21][22]
In December 1921, Donovan was hired as the manager of the New Haven Eastern League baseball club. Donovan's former Detroit teammateTy Cobb was a co-owner of the New Haven club.[23] Donovan led New Haven to the Eastern League pennant in 1922 and returned as manager for a second season in 1923.[21]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| NYY | 1915 | 152 | 69 | 83 | .454 | 5th in AL | – | – | – | – |
| NYY | 1916 | 154 | 80 | 74 | .519 | 4th in AL | – | – | – | – |
| NYY | 1917 | 153 | 71 | 82 | .464 | 6th in AL | – | – | – | – |
| NYY total | 459 | 220 | 239 | .479 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
| PHI | 1921 | 87 | 25 | 62 | .287 | fired | – | – | – | – |
| PHI total | 87 | 25 | 62 | .287 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
| Total | 546 | 245 | 301 | .449 | 0 | 0 | – | |||
Donovan married Nellie Stephen in 1905. They were divorced in 1915.[21]
In December 1923, Donovan was killed in atrain wreck while traveling on the20th Century Limited to attend baseball's winter meetings in Chicago. The train wrecked inForsyth, New York, killing a total of nine persons.[24] Donovan was buried atHoly Cross Cemetery inYeadon, Pennsylvania.
· Baseball Almanac
