Atley Donald
Born: 8/19/1910 in Morton, MS, USA
Died: 10/19/1992 in West Monroe, LA, USA
MLB Debut: 1938-04-21 | Final Game: 1945-07-13
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 186 lbs
Full name: Richard Atley Donald
Biography
Atley Donald was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1945. Born in 1910, Donald established himself as a reliable arm during a pivotal era in baseball, just before and during World War II. Over his career, he compiled a record of 65 wins and 33 losses, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.52. Donald's ability to strike out batters was evident, as he recorded 369 strikeouts throughout his time in the league, along with a single save, reflecting his role primarily as a starting pitcher.
Donald’s playing style was characterized by a blend of skill and tenacity, traits that were essential for pitchers of his time. His contributions came during a period when baseball was navigating the challenges of wartime, impacting player participation and team rosters. Despite these challenges, Atley Donald's performances left a lasting impression in the hearts of fans and in the annals of baseball history. His career, though relatively brief, was marked by significant achievements that highlighted his talent and the competitive spirit of the game during the 1930s and 1940s.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 33 | 153 | 115 | 54 | 6 | 1 | 932.3 | 907 | 365 | 66 | 369 | 369 | 3.52 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | NYY | AL | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 5.25 | - |
| 1939 | NYY | AL | 13 | 3 | 24 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 153.0 | 144 | 63 | 60 | 55 | 3.71 | - |
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 8 | 3 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 118.7 | 113 | 40 | 59 | 60 | 3.03 | - |
| 1941 | NYY | AL | 9 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 159.0 | 141 | 63 | 69 | 71 | 3.57 | - |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 11 | 3 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 147.7 | 133 | 51 | 45 | 53 | 3.11 | - |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 6 | 4 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 119.3 | 134 | 61 | 38 | 57 | 4.60 | - |
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 13 | 10 | 30 | 19 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 159.0 | 173 | 59 | 59 | 48 | 3.34 | - |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 5 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 63.7 | 62 | 21 | 25 | 19 | 2.97 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 153 | 356 | 27 | 57 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 11 | 90 | 0.160 | 0.185 | 0.191 | 0.376 | -1742.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | NYY | AL | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1939 | NYY | AL | 24 | 60 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0.250 | -201.1 |
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 24 | 41 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.146 | 0.0 |
| 1941 | NYY | AL | 22 | 62 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 0.081 | -725.9 |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 20 | 61 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0.148 | -498.9 |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 22 | 47 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.128 | 0.0 |
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 30 | 55 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 0.182 | -316.5 |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 9 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.208 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | WS | NYA | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1941 | WS | NYA | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 7.71 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | WS | NYA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6.00 |
| 1941 | WS | NYA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 153 | 0 | 29 | 133 | 11 | 9 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | NYA | P | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | NYA | P | 24 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 2 |
| 1940 | NYA | P | 24 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| 1941 | NYA | P | 22 | 0 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 2 |
| 1942 | NYA | P | 20 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 2 | 1 |
| 1943 | NYA | P | 22 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 1944 | NYA | P | 30 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 1945 | NYA | P | 9 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 153 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Tech University | Ruston | LA | 1931, 1932 |