Dick Donovan

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For Dick Donovan, the pseudonym of the British author, see J. E. Preston Muddock.

Dick Donovan
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died: January 6, 1997(1997-01-06) (aged 69)
Weymouth, Massachusetts, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 24, 1950, for the Boston Braves
Last MLB appearance
June 12, 1965, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Win–loss record122–99
Earned run average3.67
Strikeouts880
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Richard Edward Donovan (December 7, 1927 – January 6, 1997) was an American

Cleveland Indians
(1962–1965). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg).

A

walks plus hits per innings pitched. He led the AL with a .727 winning percentage in 1957, going 16–6, and he won 15 games for the White Sox in 1958. He pitched in the 1959 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing Game 3 but earning the save in Game 5. Donovan struggled in 1960 and was moved to the bullpen, then got selected in the expansion draft by the Senators after the season. He had his best year with the new club in 1961, leading the AL with a 2.40 earned run average (ERA), though his won-loss record was just 10–10. Traded to the Indians for Jimmy Piersall after the season, he won 20 games his first year with Cleveland. Donovan pitched three more years for the Indians after that before getting released midway through 1965. Following his baseball career, he sold insurance and held other jobs in the Quincy, Massachusetts
area before dying of cancer in 1997.

Donovan was unusually good at hitting for a pitcher, homering 15 times in his big-league career.

Early life

Donovan was the youngest of five children of Jeremiah and Gertrude Donovan. He grew up in Boston and attended

Boston Braves' scout Jeff Jones, who signed him after his senior year and proclaimed him "the fire-ballingest pitcher” he had seen since spotting Bob Feller pitching in high school. Donovan graduated during World War II, though, and he served three years in the United States Navy before beginning his professional career in 1947.[1]

Career

Early years

Donovan's career started far south of his home, with the

Class AAA Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, the Braves' top farm team, for a couple games.[2]

By 1950, Donovan was one of three rookie pitching prospects looking to make it with the

walks in 29+2⁄3 innings.[7] His numbers were not much better at Milwaukee, where in 19 games (10 starts) he had a 3–6 record, a 6.24 ERA, 44 strikeouts, and 33 walks in 75 innings.[2]

In 1951, Donovan started the season with the Braves again but was again moved to the bullpen after two starts.[8] He had a 5.27 ERA (with no record) in eight games with the Braves and did not appear for them after June 5.[8] Spending most of the season with Milwaukee, Donovan had more success with the Brewers in 1951. He had a 7–5 record, a 3.28 ERA, 88 strikeouts, and 59 walks in 129 innings, and he helped the Brewers win the American Association pennant.[1][2] However, he did not pitch for the Braves in September.[8]

Similarly to his previous two years, Donovan started the season with the Braves, then spent most of the year in Milwaukee, with the exception of a brief call-up in late May to early June. In his only two starts, he gave up six runs in one and was pulled from the game in the other after walking the first three hitters.[9] He had a 5.54 ERA and an 0–2 record with the Braves. With Milwaukee, he appeared in 16 games (12 starts), posting a 4–6 record, a 4.55 ERA, 36 strikeouts, and 43 walks in 91 innings.[2]

Donovan hoped to remain in Milwaukee for the 1953 season, because the Braves moved there from Boston. However, he failed to make the team out of spring training this time, and the Braves tried to send him to their new AAA affiliate, the

Class AA affiliate, convinced Donovan to come play for the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association.[1]

"That was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Donovan said of getting sent to Atlanta. “It brought me under the wing of

runs batted in. The Crackers won the Southern Association pennant, and Donovan was named their Most Valuable Player.[1][10] After the minor league season, the Chicago White Sox purchased his contract from Milwaukee.[7]

Chicago White Sox

Donovan in 1955

Donovan made the White Sox out of spring training in 1955, as a reliever.

Kansas City Athletics.[15] Donovan finished his first full season in Major League Baseball (MLB) with a 15–9 record, a 3.32 ERA, five shutouts, 88 strikeouts, and 48 walks in 187 innings.[7]

In his first start of the 1956 season April 20, Donovan gave up three runs in 7+2⁄3 innings and contributed a two-run home run against Lou Kretlow of Kansas City; he got a no-decision, but the White Sox won 5–3.[16] Wins were few and far between for Donovan, who finished July with a 4–7 record and a 5.02 ERA. A six-game winning streak and a 2.01 ERA in the last two months improved his numbers by season's end.[17] When he faced Kansas City on August 15, he limited the Athletics to two hits in a 10–0 shutout.[18] Against Cleveland on August 31, he matched zeroes on the scoreboard with Hall of Famer Early Wynn for nine innings, then won the game in the 10th when his RBI single against Wynn gave the White Sox a 1–0 victory.[19] In 34 games (31 starts), he had a 12–10 record, a 3.64 ERA, three shutouts, 120 strikeouts, and 59 walks in 234+2⁄3 innings. He led the league with a 1.155 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).[7]

Donovan threw a shutout against Cleveland on May 25, 1957, allowing a second-inning double to Eddie Robinson that was the only hit for the Indians.[20] He relinquished four runs in his next start against Cleveland on May 30 but had three hits and drove in three runs in a 6–4 victory over the Indians.[21] On July 20, Donovan threw another one-hit shutout in a game against the Red Sox, with Ted Williams's fourth-inning single being the only hit for Boston.[22] Possessing an eight and three record on July 3, he won seven games in a row, a streak that did not end until August 29, in an 11-inning, 2–1 loss to the Yankees.[23] Donovan, as a member of the White Sox, led the 1957 AL in winning percentage, posting a 16–6 record for a .727 winning percentage (tied with Tom Sturdivant, who posted the same numbers with the Yankees). His 16 wins were tied for third in the AL with Sturdivant and Tom Brewer, behind Jim Bunning's and teammate Billy Pierce's 20.[24] He also led the league with 16 complete games and struck out 88 in 220+2⁄3 innings.[7] Donovan finished 13th in AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award voting and came in second to the National League's Warren Spahn in Cy Young Award voting, in an era where the Cy Young was only presented to one pitcher for both leagues.[7]

It looked like Donovan would have the opposite winning percentage in 1958, after he got off to a 3–10 start with an ERA of 4.29.

walks per nine innings (1.9) of all AL pitchers and finished 25th in MVP voting.[7]

Donovan was part of the "Go-Go Sox" team that won Chicago's first AL pennant since 1919.[1] After winning his first start in 1959, he went six weeks without winning a game. "There's been nothing wrong with my stride or rhythm," said Donovan. "I just seem more prone to lapses in concentration this year."[29] May 12, he hit a two-run home run against Ike Delock but took a no-decision after running into trouble in the seventh inning; however, the White Sox beat Boston 4–3.[30] A sore shoulder kept him out between July 21 and August 16.[1][31] In late-August, the White Sox faced Cleveland, a competitive team that trailed them by 1.5 games in the standings, for a four-game series.[1] Donovan took the opportunity to throw his lone shutout of the year, defeating them 2–0 on August 29.[32] The White Sox took a 5.5 game lead after sweeping the Indians, and 10,000 appreciative fans showed up to welcome them back to Midway International Airport when they returned to Chicago.[1] Donovan was 9–6 on September 2 but lost his last four decisions to finish 9–10.[7][31] He appeared in 31 games (29 starts) for the White Sox, posting a 3.66 ERA and striking out 71 in 179+2⁄3 innings pitched.[7]

The White Sox faced the

fly out to left field before pitching a scoreless ninth to earn the save for the White Sox.[34] Donovan was also used in Game 6, but he gave up three runs (including a home run to Wally Moon) without recording an out as the White Sox lost the game 9–3 and the Dodgers won the World Series.[35]

During spring training in 1960, the

Washington Senators franchise.[7]

Washington Senators

Cleveland Indians for Jimmy Piersall.[7]

Cleveland Indians

With the Indians in 1962, Donovan had better luck.

Sporting News named him its AL Pitcher of the Year.[53] The Indians named him their Man of the Year and gave him a $40,000 contract for 1963.[1]

Despite his success in 1962, Donovan was the Indians' third starter for 1963, behind Mudcat Grant and Sam McDowell.[54] On July 5, he held the Yankees to one run, had two hits, and scored a run in a 4–1 victory.[55] Through August 3, he had a 6–10 record, but he won his next four starts by pitching four complete games in a row, including back-to-back shutouts August 8 and August 14 (when he held the White Sox scoreless for 11 innings in a 1–0 victory).[56] In 30 starts, he had an 11–13 record, a 4.24 ERA, three shutouts, 84 strikeouts, and 28 walks in 206 innings. For the second year in a row, he led the league in walks per nine innings, with a 1.2 mark.[7]

Donovan held the Los Angeles Angels to two runs over eight innings and drove in a couple of his own with a single against Ken McBride in a 3–2 victory over the Angels on April 23, 1964.[57] Through August 8, though his record was close to .500 at 6–7, his ERA was 4.72. After that, he was removed from the rotation. Though he made four more starts for the Indians that season, they were all in doubleheaders.[58] Against the White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader during September 6, he relinquished 16 hits but lasted into the 13th inning, when Pete Ward finally drove in a run to give Chicago a 3–2 victory.[59] In 30 games (just 23 starts), he had a 7–9 record, a 4.55 ERA, no shutouts, 83 strikeouts, and 29 walks in 158+1⁄3 innings.[7]

In 1965, Donovan was again a starter for the Indians, but only for his first two games, after which he was moved to the bullpen.[60] He had not made it through the sixth inning in either of his starts, and the Indians wanted to give more starts to prospects like Sonny Siebert and Luis Tiant.[1] Used all but once in relief after that, he was released June 15 after posting a 5.96 ERA in 12 games.[7] “I figure baseball was good to me,” Donovan said. “I was good to a lot of people in baseball too -- the hitters. It will be nice to take it easy if I don't go with another club.”[1]

During a 15-year major league career, Donovan compiled 122 wins, 880 strikeouts, and a 3.67 ERA, with 101 complete games, 25 shutouts and five saves. In 2,0171⁄3 innings pitched, he allowed 1,988 hits and 495 walks.[7]

Playing style

Donovan threw three pitches: a fastball, a curveball, and a slider. He learned the slider while pitching for Atlanta, when coach and later manager Whitlow Wyatt helped teach it to him.[1] In 1955, when he finally stuck in a major league team's rotation, Sports Illustrated called it "one of the most effective pitches in baseball."[12] Among pitchers, Donovan was also an unusually gifted hitter. In 1954, he was the team MVP for Atlanta after hitting 12 home runs and driving in 38 runs in only 27 games.[1] With the White Sox, he was frequently used as a pinch-hitter. At the plate in his 15-year major league career, Donovan posted a .163 batting average (113-for-694) with 67 runs, 15 home runs, 64 RBI, and 78 walks.[7]

Personal life

On February 7, 1959, Donovan married Patricia Casey, a Quincy, Massachusetts, resident who was a stewardess for United Airlines. The couple had two children, Peter and Amy. His friend Wyatt gave him the idea to sell insurance, and Donovan had a home business selling insurance during his MLB career. In 1963, he earned his stockbroker's license and joined the Boston-based firm Eastman & Dillon. After his baseball career, he served as the executive vice president for Bache & Co. In 1980, he opened a real estate appraisal office in Quincy, which he ran until 1994. Additionally, Donovan served as distributor with Earth Care Products, a Quincy company that makes products out of recycled plastic. He died from cancer on January 6, 1997.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Wancho, Joseph. "Dick Donovan". SABR. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Dick Donovan Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Johnson, Vince (January 3, 1950). "Once Over Lightly". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 15. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  4. ^ "Normie Roy 1950 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "Brooklyn Dodgers at Boston Braves Box Score, April 24, 1950". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Dick Donovan 1950 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Dick Donovan Stats". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c "Dick Donovan 1951 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "Dick Donovan 1952 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  10. ^ Skelton, David E. "Pete Burnside". SABR. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d "Dick Donovan 1955 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Terrell, Roy (June 27, 1955). "No Longer a Team to Be Ignored, the White Sox Loom Large in the American League Race with Speed, Defense and Some Great Pitching". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  13. ^ "Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox Box Score, April 29, 1955". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  14. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians Box Score, July 3, 1955". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  15. ^ "Kansas City Athletics at Chicago White Sox Box Score, September 24, 1955". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  16. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Athletics Box Score, April 20, 1956". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Dick Donovan 1956 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Athletics Box Score, August 15, 1956". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  19. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox Box Score, August 31, 1956". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  20. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians Box Score, May 25, 1957". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  21. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox Box Score, May 30, 1957". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  22. ^ "Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox Box Score, July 20, 1957". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  23. ^ "Dick Donovan 1957 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  24. ^ "1957 AL Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  25. ^ a b SI Staff (April 13, 1959). "Chicago White Sox". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  26. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Baltimore Orioles Box Score, June 15, 1958". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  27. ^ "New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox Box Score, August 3, 1958". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  28. ^ "Dick Donovan 1958 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  29. ^ Woodcock, Les (June 1, 1959). "Baseball's Week". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  30. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox Box Score, May 12, 1959". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Dick Donovan 1959 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  32. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians Box Score, August 29, 1959". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  33. ^ Abrams, Al (October 5, 1959). "Sidelights on Sports". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 1. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "1959 World Series Game 5, White Sox at Dodgers, October 6". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  35. ^ "1959 World Series Game 6, Dodgers at White Sox, October 8". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  36. ^ "More Talk of Sievers Trade Is Expected". Prescott Evening Courier. Associated Press. March 17, 1960. p. 13. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  37. ^ "Paul Foytack Stats". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  38. ^ "Dick Donovan 1960 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  39. ^ "1960 Chicago White Sox Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  40. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Washington Senators Box Score, July 29, 1960". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  41. ^ SI Staff (April 10, 1961). "Washington Senators". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  42. ^ Bingham, Walter (April 24, 1961). "A Change after 60 Years". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  43. ^ "Piersall Traded for Dick Donovan". Rome News-Tribune. Associated Press. October 5, 1961. p. 8. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  44. ^ a b c Hackleman, Jim (May 24, 1962). "Bad-Luck Donovan 8-Game Winner This Time". The Sumter Daily Item. p. 7. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  45. ^ a b c "Dick Donovan 1961 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  46. ^ "Chicago White Sox at Washington Senators Box Score, June 9, 1961". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  47. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox Box Score, April 10, 1962". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  48. ^ "Dick Donovan 1962 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  49. ^ "Dick Donovan 1962 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  50. ^ "Baltimore Orioles at Cleveland Indians Box Score, July 2, 1962". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  51. ^ "Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians Box Score, August 26, 1962". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  52. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox Box Score, September 4, 1962". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  53. ^ United Press International (November 21, 1962). "Yankees' Mickey Mantle Named 'Most Valuable'". The Rome News-Tribune. p. 22. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  54. ^ "1963 Cleveland Indians Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  55. ^ "New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians Box Score, July 5, 1963". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  56. ^ "Dick Donovan 1963 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  57. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Los Angeles Angels Box Score, April 23, 1964". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  58. ^ "Dick Donovan 1964 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  59. ^ "Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox Box Score, September 6, 1964". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  60. ^ "Dick Donovan 1965 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2020.

External links

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