Jim Donohue

Early career

Donohue was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1956 season and assigned to the minor league Class D Gainesville G-Men of the Florida State League. In his first full professional season, he posted a 5–6 win-loss record with a 2.08 earned run average in 95 innings pitched. He received a late-season call to join the AAA Omaha club in October, but did not play.

For the 1957 season, Donohue was promoted to the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Class C Northern League. He appeared in more games and pitched 141 innings to attain a 7–7 record, but his ERA more than doubled, ballooning to a 4.34 while having a very high mark for Walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) at 1.589.

The Cardinals invited Donohue to St. Petersburg, Florida for spring training in February 1958. He was later optioned to the Class A York White Roses of the Eastern League. He got off to a very hot start in his 14 games with the team, putting up a perfect 7–0 record with a 1.48 ERA in 10 starts. The exceptional play earned him a mid-season advancement to the Class AA Texas League Houston Buffaloes. Donohue started in prime fashion in his first game, throwing a complete game two-hit shutout against Dallas on June 26. He came across some bad luck a few weeks later, however, as he was out for a week after being hit on July 14 by a line drive on his ankle. Overall at Houston he compiled a 3–7 record with a 4.50 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 82 innings of work. After his most successful season yet, Donohue was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals to participate in the Florida West Coast Winter Instructional League.

Donohue started the 1959 season in Class AAA with the American Association Omaha Cardinals. He pulled double duty as a starter and reliever, starting 18 games and playing the relief role in 16. He put down a 2.43 ERA with 87 strikeouts and a 3–7 record in 132 innings. He also received some brief play around May with the Rochester Red Wings, striking out 10 in 9 innings.