Marty McHale

Martin Joseph McHale (October 30, 1886 – May 7, 1979) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians in Major League Baseball between 1910 and 1916. He also performed professionally in vaudeville and worked as a stockbroker.

Baseball career McHale was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, as the third of five children born to Kate and Patrick McHale. He attended the University of Maine and he played college baseball, college football, and track and field for the Maine Black Bears. for a $2,000 signing bonus. McHale made his major league debut on September 28, 1910. and a 0–0 record and a 9.64 ERA in four games for the Red Sox in 1911. The Red Sox sold McHale to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Class AA International League before the 1912 season, along with Henri Rondeau, Hap Myers, Billy Purtell, Walter Lonergan, Jack Killilay, and Steve White, for Hugh Bedient. He spent the 1912 season with Jersey City.

After beginning the 1913 season with Jersey City, the New York Yankees purchased McHale from the Skeeters for $6,000 in August 1913. He pitched to a 2–4 record and a 2.96 ERA for the Yankees in 1913, and a 6–16 record and a 2.97 ERA in 1914.

McHale began the 1915 season with a 3–7 record and a 4.25 ERA, and the Yankees waived McHale in July 1915. The Yankees sold McHale to the Montreal Royals of the International League. He finished the 1915 season with the Richmond Climbers of the International League. He had a 4–9 record with Montreal and Richmond. He signed with Boston in February 1916, and made two appearances for Boston before he was released during the season. He signed with the Cleveland Indians in May 1916, and made five appearances, pitching to a 5.56 ERA for Cleveland, before he was released in July.

Vaudeville career McHale performed professionally in vaudeville, singing as a tenor. Before he signed with the Red Sox, he performed in minstrel shows and two-act sketch shows in Boston, Wakefield, and Winchester, Massachusetts. When he signed with the Red Sox, he formed the Red Sox Quartette with teammates Buck O'Brien, Hugh Bradley, and Larry Gardner in 1910. Gardner left the group and was replaced by Bill Lyons, who was not a baseball player, but was signed to a contract with the Red Sox "to make the name of the act look proper", according to McHale. The group disbanded in 1913. for an act they titled, "Right Off the Bat". In 1918, McHale enlisted in the United States Army Air Service, serving as a Lieutenant in the 22nd Regiment of Engineers. After Donlin moved to Hollywood to pursue his acting career, McHale continued to perform in a solo act. Variety once referred to McHale as "baseball's [Enrico] Caruso", and Babe Ruth called McHale "the best goddamn singer I ever heard!". His brother, John, served on Hempstead's town council.