Greatest UNKNOWN Pitcher Ever!!

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

The 6’5” three-hundred pound pitching sensation Pat “Paddy” McDonald became a fan favorite during the early days of the dead ball era. His immense size and scowling glare, coupled with a true contempt for his opponents, intimidated batters over the course of three seasons in the National League while playing, appropriately enough, for the New York “Giants.” So ill-tempered was he that Bob Ewing once proclaimed, “I don’t say much to Paddy or scarcely even look at him for fear he’d want to meet me under the bleachers after the game.”

Shown here performing his patented move during windup known as the “look-over-there point” designed to lure hitters to avert their attention from his otherwise clumsy delivery. Most would agree such a strategic deception was not needed, given the force and speed with which he threw the ball. Hitters like Honus Wagner would swear that they could smell smoke as his renown heater sped past them. This earned Paddy the nickname the Irish Fireballer.

In 1906, after his stint in the National League had apparently ended, players in the Tri-State League began to realize that the fire inside the big pitcher was still sweltering. Lancaster sent their resident brawler, Patsy Dougherty, himself a powerfully-built, no nonsense player awaiting a return to the majors, to try to settled down the opponent pitcher who was becoming a bit too confrontational with batters. After pitching seven shutout innings, Dougherty bumped Paddy outside the first base path in between innings. McDonald was no one to be confronted in such a manner and thus picked up Dougherty five feet in the air and tossed him headlong three rows into the stands! A lesson that did not escape the attention of opponents and major league clubs. McDonald was unofficially barred from the majors shortly thereafter. Said Pittsburgh manager Fred Clarke at the time, “McDonald’s efforts to intimidate batters might even make old Rube blush (referring to Waddell)!”

Known also for wearing shorts while playing, McDonald once scoffed, “Why should I wear the heavy socks, no one dares show me the steel (referring to the spikes worn on athletic shoes)!” A true original, this dominating pitcher left the sport to serve in the New York City Police Department and compete in strength events at the Olympic games. A two-time gold medalist, Pat McDonald is pictured here in his only known card, published in 1913.

[Anyone else want to entertain us with an Auction House style made up story about your favorite card??]

[Jason]

That was a fun read!

[mrreality68]

Amazing story

Love learning new thing in the mlb history and interesting with him being a gold medalist also

[Touch'EmAll]

Nice story, thanks. But when I saw the thread I thought of Sidd Finch.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by Dead-Ball-Hitter

[Anyone else want to entertain us with an Auction House style made up story about your favorite card??]

You have to make sure you read the last sentence.

[gabrinus]

His heavy handed pitching style broke more bats than anyone in the history of baseball...Jerry

[RL]

What a great made up story..I was fooled until the last sentence

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Facts and fantasy meet in this story. Pat was indeed a 2 time gold medalist and a well known NY policeman. He’s a renown strongman with a statue erected in his family’s home town in Ireland. Numerous other details are embellished for entertainment purposes here at year end. Best regards, Joe

[Bill77]

As crazy as it sounds he might have actually played short stop in the minors.https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=mcdonn001p--

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by RL

What a great made up story..I was fooled until the last sentence

I was fooled until the comment about Waddell trying to intimidate hitters. His stuff was intimidating, but Rube himself wasn't.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

If auction write-ups told me stuff I didn't know (Babe Ruth was great doesn't cut it) like this fictional one did I'd be all for it!

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Dead-Ball-Hitter

The 6’5” three-hundred pound pitching sensation Pat “Paddy” McDonald became a fan favorite during the early days of the dead ball era. His immense size and scowling glare, coupled with a true contempt for his opponents, intimidated batters over the course of three seasons in the National League while playing, appropriately enough, for the New York “Giants.” So ill-tempered was he that Bob Ewing once proclaimed, “I don’t say much to Paddy or scarcely even look at him for fear he’d want to meet me under the bleachers after the game.”

Shown here performing his patented move during windup known as the “look-over-there point” designed to lure hitters to avert their attention from his otherwise clumsy delivery. Most would agree such a strategic deception was not needed, given the force and speed with which he threw the ball. Hitters like Honus Wagner would swear that they could smell smoke as his renown heater sped past them. This earned Paddy the nickname the Irish Fireballer.

In 1906, after his stint in the National League had apparently ended, players in the Tri-State League began to realize that the fire inside the big pitcher was still sweltering. Lancaster sent their resident brawler, Patsy Dougherty, himself a powerfully-built, no nonsense player awaiting a return to the majors, to try to settled down the opponent pitcher who was becoming a bit too confrontational with batters. After pitching seven shutout innings, Dougherty bumped Paddy outside the first base path in between innings. McDonald was no one to be confronted in such a manner and thus picked up Dougherty five feet in the air and tossed him headlong three rows into the stands! A lesson that did not escape the attention of opponents and major league clubs. McDonald was unofficially barred from the majors shortly thereafter. Said Pittsburgh manager Fred Clarke at the time, “McDonald’s efforts to intimidate batters might even make old Rube blush (referring to Waddell)!”

Known also for wearing shorts while playing, McDonald once scoffed, “Why should I wear the heavy socks, no one dares show me the steel (referring to the spikes worn on athletic shoes)!” A true original, this dominating pitcher left the sport to serve in the New York City Police Department and compete in strength events at the Olympic games. A two-time gold medalist, Pat McDonald is pictured here in his only known card, published in 1913.

[Anyone else want to entertain us with an Auction House style made up story about your favorite card??]

A final little known fact about McDonald: After his banishment for egregious behavior Paddy, hung around baseball for a while until he was picked up by the single A Blue Balls, WV club, who hadn't yet heard about Paddy's disgraceful antics. Regretfully, Paddy had not learned his lesson and in his first mound appearance on the mound he hurled a 16 pound shot put straight at the head of poor Frank 'Slash" Fortuna, a career .132 hitter named such for the straight razor he always carried in his back pocket. The results were tragic; 'Slash' ended up in a comatose state while Paddy blew town. Little was heard about Paddy after that except there were rumors that he had become the strong man with a traveling carnival.