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March 23, 2023

Regina Manning, left, and Andrea Manning, show a display honoring the late Chicago Cubs executive Margaret Donahue, at Huntley Area Public Library. The display also includes information on pro baseball player Johnny Klippstein, who lived in Huntley.
Steve Peterson
Regina Manning, left, and Andrea Manning, show a display honoring the late Chicago Cubs executive Margaret Donahue, at Huntley Area Public Library. The display also includes information on pro baseball player Johnny Klippstein, who lived in Huntley.

Features • March 23, 2023

Library showcases Huntley-Cubs’ exec-pioneer

By

HUNTLEY — When thousands of Chicago Cubs season ticket holders make their way to Wrigley Field for Opening Day against Milwaukee on March 30, they have a native of Huntley to thank for their privilege.

Margaret Donahue is a legend in the Cubs front office history, as she was a club employee and executive from 1919 through 1958 seasons. As March is also Women’s History Month, Huntley Area Public Library patrons may read all about her pioneer days in Major League Baseball management at a local history display. Also honored was former MLB pitcher Johnny Klipperstein, who lived in Sun City.

Donahue was named corporate secretary in 1926 and rose to the title of vice president in 1950. Relatively early into her tenure, Donahue suggested issuing season tickets.

“The Cubs had reserved seats for VIPs but they did not always come to the games,” Regina Manning said. “It solved a business problem.”

Regina and Andrea Manning looked back on great aunt Margaret Donahue’s career one day at the library. They explained that a determined team official who launched Donahue’s long-time Cubs career.

“Margaret lost her job at a laundry supply company to a veteran coming home from World War I,” Regina Manning said. “She took out an ad in the paper, looking for work as a stenographer. Bill Veeck Sr. who was president of the Cubs, called her one Sunday when she was at church. Her dad answered the phone, and she agreed to an interview. But she wanted to work in the loop, not on the north side. But Mr. Veeck was very persistent.”

Donahue is also known for supporting Friday Ladies Day at the ballpark, had keen gate receipt counting skills and could tell the details of player movement rules. She put in long hours, and accountants only caught small errors a couple of times, Regina and Andrea commented. Margaret often enjoyed games of “pickup” baseball in her younger days.

“She also came up with the idea of having lower ticket prices for kids’ tickets because she knew that was the best way to grow the game,” Andrea said.

Then new Chicago Cubs owners, Tom Ricketts and his family, were preparing research for Wrigley Field’s 100th anniversary when they read a book by Paul Dixon about Donahue. That led to contacting Regina, Andrea and other family members. A seventh-inning stretch of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” fun led to a park being dedicated in Wrigleyville in 2015. An employee award is also given in her name. She received a coveted lifetime Cubs Pass.

In addition to working for the Cubs, Donahue was “on loan” to another Wrigley tenant, the Chicago Bears,owned by George Halas.

“After a game, Halas would pay the players week by week. If there was money left over, he and Margaret would put it in a safe at the Palmer House restaurant,” Andrea said.

Donahue worked in eras which featured Hack Wilson to Ernie Banks as Cub star players. She was promoted from secretary to vice president in 1926, a title she held until her retirement in 1958.

Her first big taste of Cubs’ success was the 1929 World Series. The NL Champion Cubs lost to the Philadelphia A’s, four games to one.

Donahue is the lone female in the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame’s executive division, which includes just five people. They are Charlie Grimm, former owner the late Philip “PK” Wrigley, as well as baseball pioneers William Hulbert and Albert Spalding.

Donahue, who was born Dec. 13,1892,  enjoyed her role as the eldest surviving child of  Daniel and Hannah Connor Donahue, the Mannings said. Donahue attended high school for two years at Huntley then attended a business school in Elgin. Donahue died at age 80 on Jan. 30, 1978 in Huntley.

About Johnny Klippstein

“Perhaps Donahue signed Johnny Klippstein’s contract,” according to information in the HAPL display.

Klippstein’s Huntley ties came mostly after his 17-year MLB career, Klippstein, a pitcher, won 110 games and won a World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1959). He also played in another WS with the Minnesota Twins (1965). Klippstein, originally from Maryland, lived in Sun City, and kept his rooting interest in his first team, the Cubs. He died at age 75 on Oct. 10, 2003.