John Donaldson statue unveiled

The bronze statue of Negro League Pitcher John Wesley Donaldson was unveiled on September 4 in his birthplace of Glasgow, Missouri. Donaldson played for the Bertha Fishermen during his career.

by Trinity Gruenberg

trinity@inhnews.com

The bronze statue of Negro League baseball pitcher John Wesley Donaldson was unveiled in a ceremony on September 4 in Glasgow, Missouri, Donaldson’s birthplace.

Donaldson, barred from major league baseball because of the color of his skin, played 32 seasons, had 400 wins, and over 5000 strikeouts in his career in the Negro League that stretched from 1908-1940.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe proclaimed September 4 John Wesley Donaldson Day in the state.

The bronze statue and a ballfield named for Donaldson are located at the high school in Glasgow. After the ceremony, the high school’s softball and baseball teams played a doubleheader.

The dedication was a result of decades of work by Staples native Pete Gorton and The Donaldson Network reviving the ballplayer’s legacy. . .

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