8 9 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁then ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁League ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Sarah ▁Cris well ▁Ful k erson ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁Don ovan ▁became ▁the ▁regular ▁catch er ▁for ▁the ▁Blo om ington ▁Blo om ers ▁of ▁the ▁Illinois – Ind iana – I owa ▁League . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁games ▁each ▁year ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁and ▁posted ▁batt ing ▁aver ages ▁of ▁. 1 5 6 , ▁. 2 2 8 , ▁and ▁. 2 3 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁he ▁set ▁his ▁career - high ▁for ▁hits ▁in ▁a ▁season , ▁with ▁ 9 7 . ▁He ▁then ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁Spring field ▁Sen ators ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁player - manager ▁for ▁the ▁Illinois – Miss ouri ▁League ' s ▁Taylor ville ▁Christians . ▁At ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁ 4 6 ▁and ▁ 4 7 , ▁he ▁played ▁ 6 3 ▁games , ▁batt ed ▁. 1 8 1 , ▁and ▁managed ▁Taylor ville ▁to ▁a ▁last - place ▁finish . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁professional ▁baseball ▁manager ▁of ▁Hall ▁of ▁F amer ▁Ray ▁Sch alk . ▁ ▁Don ovan