Mike Donlin

Mike Donlin

"Michael Joseph Donlin (May 30, 1878 – September 24, 1933) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals (1899–1900), Baltimore Orioles (1901), Cincinnati Reds (1902–1904), New York Giants (1904–1908, 1911, 1914), Boston Rustlers (1911), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1912). He was one of the finest hitters of the dead-ball era. Later he turned to acting. ... 'Turkey Mike', nicknamed because of his gait while walking, hit .340 with Baltimore, which was good for second in the league. But in March of 1902, he was sentenced to six months in prison for his actions during a drinking binge and was promptly released by the Orioles. After serving his time, Donlin was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds and hit .287 for them in the last month of the season. ... On October 26, 1908, Donlin made his stage debut in Stealing Home, a one-act play written by Donlin and Hite. Although the reviews for Donlin were mixed, critics raved over his wife's performance and the show became a smash hit. Claiming he made more money from his play, Donlin left baseball and vowed never to return to baseball but after 3 successful years, the play's popularity diminished and with Hite not able to land any successful roles, Donlin did return to baseball."
Wikipedia

"A flamboyant playboy and partygoer who dressed impeccably and always had a quip and a handshake for everyone he met, Mike Donlin was 'one of the most picturesque, most written-about, most likeable athletes that ever cut his mark on the big circuit.' Donlin also could hit as well as anyone in baseball during the Deadball Era. Though he rarely walked, the powerfully built 5' 9" left-hander was a masterful curveball hitter with power to all fields. His career slugging percentage of .468 compares favorably to better-known contemporary power hitters like Honus Wagner (.466) and Sam Crawford (.452), and his .333 lifetime batting average might have earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame had he sustained it over a full career. But Donlin was 'not serious about the game,' and his love of the bottle and frequent stints in Vaudeville limited him to the equivalent of only seven full seasons."
SABR

Turkey Mike Donlin, A Reluctant Ballplayer (Part 1)
"... Donlin, often in poor health as a child, found odd jobs befitting his age and even worked as a machinist as a teenager. About 1893, he was hired as a candy hawker aboard a western-bound train. He landed in California and settled there. Donlin had little money and seemingly few prospects after departing from the train. His was however extremely fast. He hired a manager and began running races for cash. Eventually, they found their way to Santa Cruz, a resort town. At a track in Pacific Grove, outside Santa Cruz, his racing career ended due to a freak accident. Winning the race, Donlin turned to catch sight of his opponent, Tommy Simms, just as Donlin was about to cross the finish line. Unfortunately, one of the tape holders didn’t let go as the runner passed the finish. Donlin was sliced about the face and strangled (which might be a problem for someone finishing a foot race) as he tumbled."
Baseball History - Part 1, Baseball History - Part 2

"Most ballplayers’ careers are like a roller-coaster ride, a whirlwind succession of high points and declines that ends all too abruptly. But that of Mike Donlin was wilder than most. For the charismatic star whose strut earned him the nickname 'Turkey Mike,' life was full of turmoil, triumph, and tragedy. Hitting a baseball was the easy part. ... Like many players of the time, Donlin craved the nightlife, and his booming voice drew attention in bars across the country. He was convivial up to a point but didn’t hold his liquor well and could turn nasty and even violent. In fact, he was sleeping off a bender in a jail in Santa Cruz, California, when the first summons to the Major Leagues arrived. That wasn’t the last time he experienced simultaneous highs and lows."
The National Pastime Museum

YouTube: Turkey Mike Donlin - Another T206 Moment