Turkey Mike Donlin: From the Polo Grounds to Hollywood Actor

Michael Joseph Donlin was Born on May 30, 1878 in Peoria, Illinois. His father was a railroad conductor, he & Mike's mother had six children.

In 1886 at age eight, he tragically lost both his parents in bridge collapse. He would have to work as a machinist at the young age & at 15 took  a job selling candy on a train headed to California.

He stayed in California & began to play baseball. He knew how to sell himself, once convincing a newspaper to print his picture so he would be recognized, saying it would make him famous. 

Turkey Mike: He earned the nickname "Turkey Mike" due to the way he walked.

In 1900 he was acquired by the National League’s St. Louis Perfectos, who became the Cardinals. There he was a teammate of third baseman John McGraw who would be important in his life in the coming years.

Mike was an excellent hitter but known as a poor defensive player. In 1901 he jumped over to Baltimore in the new American League playing for his former team mate, now manager John McGraw. 

Troubles & Jail: Turkey Mike once threw a ball at the back of an umpire, after he was ejected from a game. In 1902 he ran into trouble when he got arrested after a drinking binge then urinated in public & accosted two chorus girls. & was waving a loaded revolver on a train. 

After one season, Baltimore released him, then he was picked up by the Reds. In 1903 he stayed out of trouble & batted .351 second to league leader Honus Wagner. Donlin was in the league’s top five in most offensive categories becoming one of the games best hitters.

 More Troubles: In 1904 he was having another great year when his heavy drinking got him arrested again. He was suspended for 30 days which eventually led to a trade to the New York Giants.

NY Giants Career: He arrived in New York playing outfield for his old team mate John McGraw for a second time. He would play for the Giants for parts of five seasons (1904-1911). 

New York Lifestyle: Turkey Mike loved New York, he was a heavy drinker who loved to stay out late at night. Known was a sharp dresser with dashing looks he was a real ladies man. The press loved to cover him, saying he had swagger, was tough but likeable. He wore his cap on an angle & had a mouthful of tobacco in his cheek. On the field he was scrappy, fiery & ran the bases reckless always ready to argue with umpires. Donlin also always seemed to find trouble. 

Quotes- John McGraw: "Donlin was a notorious drunk & carouser, he had a scar running from his left cheek down to his jaw from a knifing, but he knew how to hit a baseball."

In 1904, Donlin hit .280 in the last 42 games of the season, helping the Giants win the NL pennant. They didn’t play in the World Series because John McGraw refused to acknowledge the newly formed American League as an equal league.

1905 Giants Championship Season: In 1905 he was the Giants team captain, having one of his best seasons; leading the league in runs scored (124) second in hits (216) finishing third in the NL in hitting (.356) & HRs (7). 

He was fourth in doubles (31) fifth in on base percentage & eighth in stolen bases (33). That season he had 68 multi-hit games, with 22 muti-three hit games & three muti-four hit games.

1905 World Series: The 1905 Giants won 105 games then went on to beating Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in five games. In the Series Turkey Mike hit .263 (5-19) with a double, two walks and an RBI.

In Game #1 he collected two hits off Eddie Plank driving in one of three runs in Christy Mathewson's first of three complete game wins.

Marriage to Actress: In April of 1906 he decided to settle down marrying the Vaudeville & Broadway actress/ comedian Mable Hite. Hite had been married once before to the son of Marshall Field's a major NY department store. 

Donlin was hitting .315 after 37 games when he broke his ankle sliding into second base & had to miss the rest of the season.

Turkey Mike still wanted the same salary next year as well as the $600 bonus he received for staying sober but Giants owner John T. Brush refused. The result had Turkey Mike sit out the entire 1907 season until an agreement was made. 

That year he spent time with his wife & lived the high society life.

Crazy '08: On Opening Day 1908, he returned, hitting the game winning walk off HR at the Polo Grounds. That year he once again came in second to Honus Wagner in hitting (.334) for the fourth time in his career. He was also second in hits (198) fourth in doubles (26) & HRs (6) sixth in stolen bases (30) eighth in triples (13) & in runs scored (71).

In 1908 the Giants finished second to the rival Chicago Cubs, in the famous year of “Merkle's Boner” which some fans blamed on the Giants losing the pennant. The year is knee as Crazy '08.

That year Donlin had his best defensive season, making a career low six errors (155 games) & posting a career best .977 fielding percentage.

Acting Debut: In October of 1908, Turkey Mike & his wife Mable Hite, wrote a one act play called “Stealing Home” which the two starred in as he made his stage debut. The play was a series of comedic baseball skits in vaudeville. Although he received mixed reviews, critics raved over his wife's performance & the show became a huge hit.

Turkey Mike claimed he made more money from his play than he ever did in baseball & vowing to leave the game forever. He stayed out of baseball for two seasons.

The shows success lasted for three years, but after that Mable Hite couldn’t land any more leading roles. With money problems Turkey Mike returned to baseball as John McGraw gave him another chance.

At 33 years old, Donlin was no longer the player he was in his prime. After 12 games he was was traded to Boston and did finished the season batting .316 in 234 at bats. 

In 1912 he briefly played in Pittsburgh batting .316 in 77 games but was eventually placed on waivers.

In 1914 he got one last chance with the Giants but hit .161 in 34 games before retiring for good. 

Career Stats: After a 12 season career he batted .333 lifetime with 1282 hits 176 doubles 97 triples 669 runs scored 51 HRs 543 RBIs & 213 stolen bases.

Second Marriage: In 1912 his wife first wife Mabel died of cancer at age 29. Two years later he married actress Rita Ross ,of Fenton & Ross comedy fame. 

Hollywood: After baseball he returned to acting and switched from the stage to the screen in Hollywood. Donlin had a number of small roles in the era’s silent movies including the classic “The General” starring Buster Keaton (1926). 

He also appeared in “Raffles The Amateur Cracksman” (1917)  “The Sea Beast” (1926) his first talkie- Thunderbolt (1929) & The Iron Man (1931) & the Air Hostess (1933).

One of Turkey Mikes best friends & drinking buddies was the famous actor John Barrymore who helped place Turkey Mike in a few of his movies. Donlin was also used as an advisor on a number of baseball movies. 

Passing: In 1933 in Hollywood, he  passed away in his sleep with a fatal heart attack, at age 55.

As night baseball was first being introduce, the former player commented:

Quotes- Turkey Mike Donlin: "Think of that, taking a ball player's nights away from him!"