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Saturday, July 03, 2021

Once Upon A Summer, 1918: John Donaldson Poised To Make Brooklyn/Queens Debut at Dexter Park

From the desk: DEM BARNSTORMERS & THE DONALDSON NETWORK



The Royal Giants were to have started a western trip but chose to remain here for another week in order to play the Cubans on Thursday and the Lincoln Giants next Sunday. - The Sun (New York), July 1, 1918
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On Thursday, July 4, 1918, in what is to be his Brooklyn/Queens debut, John Donaldson was slated to pitch the second game of a twin bill against the Cuban Stars (East) at Dexter Park, the home field of Max Rosner's Bushwick club.  

Last Sunday, June 30, while making his East/New York debut, southpaw John Donaldson allows just one run on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts through nine innings pitched and also wields a hit at the plate, albeit in a losing effort against the New York Lincoln Giants at Harlem's Olympic Field.  But as fate would have it, Donaldson's mound opponent, Smokey Joe Williams, hurls a two-hit shutout for the win.

The Cuban Stars are managed by the well-respected Pelayo Chacon, now in his third season.  John Donaldson's potential mound opponent could be one of three candidates: Juan PadronJose Maria Fernandez, or Elevio Calderin.

There can be little doubt Brooklyn's first baseman Rafael Figarola is looking forward to welcoming and competing against his compatriots.








ONCE UPON A SUMMER, 1918:

BEDFORD & SULLIVAN PODCAST: Restoring Baseball Great John Donaldson's Lost Legacy With Negro Leagues Historian and Founder of The Donaldson Network, Peter Gorton.


Minnesota native Peter Gorton leads a group of historians dedicated to discovering the lost legacy of John Wesley Donaldson.  In this episode, we discuss the man, baseball career, and life of one of the more incredible and inspiring athletes to ever play the game, and how his amazing legacy became lost to a nation, most particularly Baseball's Hall of Fame.  

Original airdate: March 13, 2021.



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