Career
A right-handed pitcher and lifelong resident of Olivia, Minnesota, Donnelly had an 18-year (1935–1952) professional career and worked in 190 Major League games between 1944–1951 for the Saint Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves. He stood 5 feet 10 inches (178 m) tall and weighed 166 pounds (75 kg). Donnelly spent nine seasons in minor league baseball.
In 1941, he had 28 wins and 304 strikeouts for the Class C Springfield Cardinals of the Western Association.
He was promoted to the Major Leagues and the Saint Louis Cardinals as a 30-year-old rookie in 1944. He then turned in two outstanding performances in relief in the "All-Saint Louis" 1944 World Series.
In his first outing, in Game 1, he retired all six Saint Louis Browns to face him, but the Browns held on for a 2–1 triumph. Then, in Game 2, Donnelly relieved starting pitcher Max Lanier in the eighth inning of a 2–2 tie.
He worked four scoreless frames, allowing two hits and one base on balls while striking out seven, and was the winning pitcher when pinch hitter Ken O"Dea drove home the winning run in the bottom of the eleventh inning.
Donnelly was sent to the Phillies in 1946 and spent 4½ seasons with them, appearing in 113 games as both a starter and reliever. All told, he allowed 659 hits in 691⅔ MLB innings pitched, with 306 bases on balls and 296 strikeouts. He recorded 27 complete games as a starter and 12 saves as a reliever.