Monday, November 13, 2017

Willie McDonald

Willie McDonald


Born:




Died:
Last saw he was alive in May 1941



Career
1924-25 Brooklyn Visitations (MBL)
1925-26 Brooklyn Visitations (MBL)
1926-27 Newburgh Hillsides / Jersey City Skeeters (NLN)
1926-27 Brooklyn Celtics (ABL)
1926-27 West Brooklyn Assumption Triangles (MBL)
1926-27 Youngstown Bentleys (CBL)
1927-28 Catskill Howitzers (MBL)
1928-29 Brooklyn Visitations (ABL)
1928-29 New York Hakoahs (ABL)
1928-29 New York Hakoahs (Independent)
1929-30 New York Celtics (ABL)
1929-30 Chicago Bruins (ABL) Did he play??
1929-30 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1930-31 Brooklyn Americans (Independent)
1931-32 Brooklyn Americans (Independent)
1932-33 Brooklyn Americans (MBL)
1933-34 Bronx Americans (ABL)
1934-35 Brooklyn Americans (Independent)
1935-36 Brooklyn Americans (Independent)
1936-37 Brooklyn Americans (Independent)
1937-38 New York Gaels (Independent)

McDonald played basketball at St. Francis Prep. After at least one year at St. Francis College, McDonald would player pro basketball for many years. Not much else to be found. Alive in December of 1949, appearing at at St Francis Prep reunion game.

UPDATE 1/23/2018
I thought maybe I had identified Willie, but an astute anonymous reader here told me I was wrong. Looking into it more, I agree. A player named "Squire McDonnell" has been confused with "Willie McDonald," mainly stemming from information I had the the McDonald who played in the ABL went by the name "Squire" and went to St. Francis Prep and St. Francis College. This is not the case. James "Squire" McDonnell went to those schools and played some teams around Brooklyn (lke the Columbus Caseys) but is NOT the same player as Willie McDonald who played for the Visitations and Americans. Near as I can tell, Willie McDonald never was called "Squire." So I have put McDonald back in the "unknown" category and separated his record from McDonnell. Sorry for any confusion, and thank you to the anonymous poster for the clarification and correction. Identifying these players is a group effort, so all comments, suggestions and leads are appreciated, even if they prove my wrong.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/willie-mcdonald/

2 comments:

  1. Squire McDonnell played a lot of basketball in and around New York, but Willie McDonald was the the player who played in the Metropolitan League and American League. Research league records and you will always see McDonald - never McDonnell.

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    Replies
    1. So you are saying that there was a Squire McDonnell (who also was listed in newspapers as Squire McDonald) who went to St Francis Prep / University, and also a Willie McDonald, who was not nicknamed "Squire," who played in ABL/MBL? Because PBE has the ABL/MBL player nicknamed "Squire" but there were not two players of similar names at St Francis at that time.

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