The Willow Glen Resident

A Smile From the Past: Tucked away in a Lincoln Ave. antique store was the life story of 1920s minor league baseball player Donald McBride, pictured at left.

Minor League Memory

By Chuck Oeland

While walking my basset hound in downtown Willow Glen, I often window-shop the antique stores on Lincoln Avenue.

Last week, while passing one of the stores, I saw a photo album displayed in the front window. Seeing a yellowed vintage photo of a baseball team and being a sports fanatic, I made a mental note, took the basset home and went back.

Unlike many albums I've seen, this one was thoughtfully assembled and complete. Every page held a photo, letter or newspaper clipping. I negotiated with the dealer and agreed on a price.

I soon discovered that the album was a meticulously crafted memento of a young man, Donald McBride, who through his talents was accepted by a west Texas minor league team, the Coleman Bob Cats, where he played during the seasons of 1928 and 1929.

His career started out during his high school years in Redondo Beach, where he was the star player in the outfield. In 1926, Don played for Twin Falls, Idaho. By 1928, upon his acceptance to the Bob Cats, Don had worked his way up from a Class "C" league to a Class "AA" league.

Newspaper articles touted his progress toward the major leagues. Dressed in his striped white Coleman uniform, with a stocky build and engaging grin, Don smiled confidently through a 70-year window of time from each of his photos.

Letters in the album revealed his personal life. From his room at the Coleman Hotel, Don wrote to his girl Emeline, who lived in Redondo Beach. He sent news articles and photos that she used to assemble their album. In one letter there was excitement as Don described how 5,000 fans gave him a standing ovation as he hit a game-winning home run.

Don wrote of the loneliness of separation and of the uncertainty due to a hand injury. He hoped the injury would lay him up for a few weeks, allowing him to come home for a visit. His doctor attached a splint to his hand and sent him back to the game.

Traveling from one ballpark to the next in Texas during the 1920s meant hot hotel rooms, lunch-counter food and the feeling of being far removed from friends and family. Night games were a few years away, so the Coleman Bob Cats played under full exposure to the sun and heat. Uniforms were drenched with sweat after the first few innings.

After distinguishing himself in the Texas league, Don's big break came in the latter part of 1929 when the San Francisco Seals accepted him. He now had the opportunity to be closer to Emeline and to play for a dominant minor league franchise.

At this high point the scrapbook ends. It would take some detective work on my part to find the end of the story.

At Barnes & Noble bookstore, I checked several baseball reference books on minor, American and major league membership, but the name Don McBride did not appear. There were situations that could have halted his progress: injury, marriage or just not making the cut.

I thought for a moment and found another reason. The book ended in the latter part of 1929, just as the Great Depression was starting. Soon afterward, ballclubs would be strapped for cash, and many would fold. It would be a trying time even for a player with exceptional talent.

While going through the scrapbook, I came across two envelopes that had been tucked into the back of the book. In the smaller envelope was a wedding announcement. It seems that many years later Emeline gave a party for her future daughter-in-law. So, Don did marry his girl and had a son. The larger envelope contained a sympathy card that announced the passing of Don McBride in 1973.

For me, the album will be an example of how fascinating collectibles can turn up in the antique shops in Willow Glen.

Chuck Oeland is a Willow Glen resident.

[ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ]