As we wrap up 2024, there were a couple more books I wanted to get to before starting a new TBR list for 2025 and this one was on that list. It is a Casey Award finalist (trying to read all of them as well) and it would be worthy of the award should it be selected as the winner. Here is my review of "Mike Donlin."
Title/Author:
“Mike Donlin: A Rough and Rowdy Life From New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen” by Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (excellent)
Review:
Very few people can claim that they left a job or profession in which they excelled for a person they love, then have a new career along with that love that will be just as good and even more profitable. In the early 20th century, Mike Donlin had this opportunity and he made good on both careers – baseball and acting. His story is told in this excellent book by Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz.
After briefly describing Donlin’s early life, the authors get into his baseball career early in the book. Donlin’s first professional games were in the California League in 1897, which soon led him to the major leagues. He started in the majors with the St. Louis Statistics in 1897, but he really blossomed as a player when he joined the Baltimore Orioles in the newly formed American League in 1901 under manager John McGraw. The professional relationship between Donlin and McGraw lasted a long time, including when McGraw went to the New York Giants and Donlin joined him after a two and a half year stint with the Cincinnati Reds. While he was productive with the Reds, he was a better ball player with the Giants and the authors do a wonderful job of illustrating how much McGraw’s influence had on Donlin on the field.
Off the field, however, Donlin had many issues with drinking and carousing. This also affected his temper on the field, as he was often ejected for arguing with officials. However, this all changed once he met Mabel Hite, a vaudeville performer. Not only did Donlin court and marry Mabel, but he also decided to try his hand in vaudeville with her. His fame as a baseball player helped attract people to the shows and one could say he got the “acting bug” as he would often use his work on stage as a negotiating ploy to obtain a higher baseball salary.
One tidbit that should be noted is that the authors make an interesting comparison to the life of a baseball player to that of a vaudeville performer. Both occupations required the perfomers to often travel – baseball players for road games, vaudeville performers to various venues. At that time, unlike today, baseball players did not stay in fancy hotels or eat the best meals, and vaudeville performers had a similar lifestyle.
Nonetheless, Donlin continued to perform in both areas until his beloved Mabel
died in 1912 from a long-term illness.
Losing his love at such a young age crushed his spirit, but he eventually
was able to return to the baseball field for a couple years although his
performance was slipping mainly due to old age.
He eventually remarried and enjoyed a good career in acting, both on stage
and eventually in motion pictures as well.
Every aspect of Donlin’s life – the baseball, the stage performances, his appearance in motion pictures, his love for Mabel and his marriage to his second wife Rita – they are all well written, well researched and enjoyable to read. The book is lengthy and there are many details in all of these areas that require the reader to read carefully and not skim in order to understand the full life of Mike Donlin. This book was well worth the time and effort as one will learn much about both baseball and stage performing in the early 20th century.
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