The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-13
s.Wild BiIr' Donovan, Pilot
 of the Yankees, Is 39 Today

'sWild 7Bill". Donovan, who man. aged the unmanageahle Yankees in the American League race just con cluded, will begin his fortieth year to- day. The grand old Bay State, which produced Cornelius McGillicuddy, Pat Moran and many other famous.
 baseball pilots, is Wild William S native commonwealth. He was born October Is, 1876, in Lawrence, but his parents removed to Philadelphia
 when Billy was only kid, and he brotherly love. His first engagement as a twirler was with the Park Spar rows who played games on the ball lot in Fairmoupt Park. His father kept g. cigar store which was a center for the fans. and Billy was early one of the most ardent of the bunch. The discussions of the sizzling radia- tor league gave him the idea that to become a star ball player was about the highest honor to which an ann- bilious youngster could aspire.
 Donovan played with several senli- pro teams in Philadelphia before he broke into the professional ranks with Sudbury, Pa. He was then 19 years old. His control was pretty rotten; but at that he looked like pitching genius to the Sunbury fans. In 1897 Bill advanced another rung up the ladder by getting a job with Paw tucket, in the New England League. He got hisf first big league trial with Washington in 1899, but his wildness prevented him from making good, and he was shippesA back to the minors. In 1900 Ned Hanlon decided to give Wild BilI' a chance with the Brooklyn Superbas. For a few chap ters he would pitch like a genius, but suddenly he would seem to forget the location of the plate. and. while he never hit first or third baseman with his wild heaves, he often had lem on the anxious seat.
 Han1on was confident that Bill would eventually overcome his early tendency to wildness,- and he was right, for Donovan gradually set tied down and he was pitching good ball for Brooklyn when he decided to hop to the American League. He signed up with Detroit and in 1903 and the two succeeding years he was the star twirIer of the Tigers. In 1905 he slumped, but came back strong the following season. and helped to pitch Detroit to a pennant. The Tigers, with Tame Bills assist ance, again led the, league in 1908 and 1909. Then the Jenningss crew began to slide, and Bill. who was getting along in years. went back with J Donovan went to Providence as pilot of the International League club in the Rhode Island metropoIis.ky By an nexing the bunting for Providence, Bill made reputation as a pilot, and Colonel Rapport and Captain Huston offered him the job of leading the Tanks.
 Smiling Bi11''a hasn't made good his threat to finish in the first division, but he has at least made a somewhat better showing than his i1lustrious predecessor .sPeerIess Leader, Chance, and it is practically certain that he will be given another chance next year. The owners of the Tanks have given him a free rain in secur- ing new players, and it is probable that very few of the old timers will be left when the Tanks start the 1916 season. Some of the recurits look pretty good. and Bill believes that he has the rnakings of reall ball club. Like Pat Moran, Donovan believes that sugar is better diet than vine- gar for the athletes, and that encour- agement and good nature will get more out of players than abuse and inyective. Donovan's theory may or may not be right, but he has cer- tain1y accomplished as much with the Tanks as sa.ny reasonable man could