Interview with August J. Donatelli, March 18, 1988

Interview Summary

August "Augie" Donatelli played shortstop in the Class D Kitty League. After World War II, he became a Major League umpire. In this interview, he discusses his Minor League career before World War II, his experiences as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft VI, the forced march west to keep the prisoners from being liberated by the Russians, how he escaped from the march and was captured again, and his return to the United States after the war. He talks about his decision to attend Bill McGowan's umpiring school, his experiences umpiring for the International League, the Pioneer League and the South Atlantic League, his salary as a Minor League umpire, the formation of the Major League Umpires Association, Baseball Commissioners Happy Chandler and Ford Frick, other umpires he worked with in his Major League career, the arguments players and managers often have with umpires, and some of his (Donatelli's) reasons for ejecting people from the game.

Interview Keyword

Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Augie Donatelli Baseball Baseball Commissioner

Interview LC Subject

Baseball Baseball--United States Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991 Donatelli, August J. Donatelli, August J.--Interviews

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.