Fred Donovan
Encyclopedia
Frederick Maurice Donovan (July 4, 1864 – March 7, 1916) was a professional baseball
catcher
and manager
. He played in Major League Baseball
for the Cleveland Spiders
in 1895.
, in 1864. He started his professional baseball career in 1894 with the New England League
's Bangor Millionaires. The following year, he played for the National League
's Cleveland Spiders. In three games, he went 1 for 12 at the plate with 1 run batted in
and 1 walk
. That was the only time Donovan would appear in the major leagues. He returned to the New England League in 1896, played in the Interstate League
from 1897 to 1899, and then went to the New York State League until 1902. He was married to Sarah Criswell Fulkerson in 1897.
In 1903, Donovan became the regular catcher for the Bloomington Bloomers
of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He appeared in over 100 games each year from 1903 to 1905 and posted batting average
s of .156, .228, and .236. In 1904, he set his career-high for hits
in a season, with 97. He then played for the Springfield Senators from 1907 to 1909. In 1911, he became a player-manager
for the Illinois–Missouri League's Taylorville Christians. At the ages of 46 and 47, he played 63 games, batted .181, and managed Taylorville to a last-place finish. He also served as the first professional baseball manager of Hall of Famer Ray Schalk
.
Donovan's baseball career ended in 1912. He died in Springfield, Illinois
, in 1916 and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Cleveland Spiders
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. The team played at National League Park from 1889 to 1890 and at League Park from 1891 to 1899.- 1887-1891 :...
in 1895.
Career
Donovan was born in Epping, New HampshireEpping, New Hampshire
Epping is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,411 at the 2010 census. Epping includes the area known as Camp Hedding....
, in 1864. He started his professional baseball career in 1894 with the New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
's Bangor Millionaires. The following year, he played for the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Cleveland Spiders. In three games, he went 1 for 12 at the plate with 1 run batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and 1 walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. That was the only time Donovan would appear in the major leagues. He returned to the New England League in 1896, played in the Interstate League
Interstate League
The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. The longest tenured of these was the last incarnation, which played in the Middle Atlantic States from 1939 through 1952, and was one of the few mid-level minor...
from 1897 to 1899, and then went to the New York State League until 1902. He was married to Sarah Criswell Fulkerson in 1897.
In 1903, Donovan became the regular catcher for the Bloomington Bloomers
Bloomington Bloomers
The Bloomington Bloomers were an Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League team based in Bloomington, Illinois that existed on-and-off from 1903 to 1939. In 1935, they were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, and in 1939 they were affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers...
of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He appeared in over 100 games each year from 1903 to 1905 and posted batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
s of .156, .228, and .236. In 1904, he set his career-high for hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in a season, with 97. He then played for the Springfield Senators from 1907 to 1909. In 1911, he became a player-manager
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
for the Illinois–Missouri League's Taylorville Christians. At the ages of 46 and 47, he played 63 games, batted .181, and managed Taylorville to a last-place finish. He also served as the first professional baseball manager of Hall of Famer Ray Schalk
Ray Schalk
Raymond William Schalk was a professional baseball player, coach, manager and scout. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox for the majority of his career. Known for his fine handling of pitchers and outstanding defensive ability, Schalk was considered the...
.
Donovan's baseball career ended in 1912. He died in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, in 1916 and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery
Oak Ridge Cemetery
Oak Ridge Cemetery is a cemetery located in Springfield, Illinois in the United States.Lincoln's Tomb, which serves as the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife and all but one of his children, is located at Oak Ridge...
.