Donie Bush - Minor League Owner and Executive

Minor League Owner and Executive

In 1939, Bush and two partners, Indiana banker, Frank E. McKinney and Tom Yawkey, bought the Louisville Cardinals of the American Association for $100,000. Bush and McKinney saw a quick opportunity to recoup their investment, selling Louisville shortstop and future Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese on July 27, 1939 for a reported $75‚000 and players to be named. Yawkey voted against the sale, but Bush and McKinney voted for it. After the 1940 season, Bush and his partners sold the Louisville franchise.

In 1941, Bush and McKinney bought the Indianapolis Indians, Bush's hometown team for whom he had been a player in 1908 and a manager from 1924 to 1926. Bush served as the team president and general manager, and took over as the field manager for 1943 and part of 1944.

The Cleveland Indians bought the Indianapolis franchise in 1951, and Bush worked for a time as a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Four years later, the Indianapolis team became a community-owned team through a public stock offering. Bush became the first president of the community-owned team, a position he held until 1969.

Bush spent 65 years (1907–1972) playing, managing or working in some capacity in professional baseball. In 1972, Bush was working as a scout for the Chicago White Sox at age 84. While scouting at spring training in Florida, Bush fell ill and died three weeks later after returning home to Indianapolis. He was 84.