BEER DRINKERS AND HELL RAISERS

      A member of John J. McGraws' Giants teams of the early 1900's, Donlin may have been the most colorfull character in the National League during his playing career. A journeyman major league baseball player, "Turkey Mike," as Donlin was known because of his unique strut, played on seven teams in a 12-year career, mostly in the National League, from 1899-1914.

     Prone to late nights after afternoon games, he was a night crawler in the truest sense.  He missed most of the 1902 season with the Reds because he had to serve a jail sentence for drunken assault,  and was arrested and locked up in an Albany, New York jail for being drunk and disorderly and waveing a revolver around a train.  He posted bail and was back on the streets in no time!

     He was cocky and self assured, and when he wanted to be, also a damn fine ballplayer who appreciated his own worth.  He once asked McGraw for a $500.00 raise, and when the manager refused, he "retired" and went out on the road with his wife, actress Mabel Hite. as part of a husband/wife act.

    It was while he was out doing stage work with Mabel that he also discovered motion pictures, After her untimely death, he returned to baseball after a two year absence and still managed to bat over .300.  

     After being traded (for what turned out to be the last time) to New York from Pittsburgh in 1912, Donlin refused to report to the Giants, instead concentrating on a budding film career. McGraw once said of him, "that Donlin was born on Memorial Day and has been strutting around ever since".   

     He eventually moved to Hollywood, California after World War One to be closer to the film scene, and where he continued to enjoy the good life.  He also managed to find time to scout for McGraw.

     Although his film career never materialized the way he wanted it to, he did appear in many movies, mostly in bit parts. He was diagnosed with a condition known as "Athletes Heart" in 1927, and was forced to go into a semi-retirement.  That still never stopped him from continuing to party and make the most of the Hollywood scene. 

     The partying finally caught up with "Turkey Mike" when he died in his sleep from a heart attack on the night of September 24th, 1933. He was only 55 years old. 

     But maybe Mike summed up his own life best when he once commented on night baseball, which had been recently introduced to the minors...."Jesus! Think of taking a ball player's nights away from him!" 

Turkey Mike Donlins' Movies