A newspaper article mentioning John Donaldson, scout for the White Sox.

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The section of the article about Donaldson reads:
White Sox Buy 2 Players from The NAL
Sam Hairston
And Bob Boyd Go
To Farm Club

      By RUSS J. COWANS

    The Chicago White Sox have signed two Negro ball players - Sammy Hairston, catcher for the Indianapolis Clowns, and Bob Boyd, first baseman for the Memphis Red Sox.
    Hairston, 25, leading hitter in the Negro American League, was signed Monday, while Boyd inked his contract Tuesday. Both players have been sent to Colorado Springs, Col., Sox farm club in Class A Western League. Hairston reporting Thursday and Boyd Friday.
    In his first game as a member of the Colorado Springs (Colo.) team last Thursday, Hairston singled the winning run home in the ninth inning.
    John Rigney, director of the Sox farm system, said the Sox had been scouting Hairston since last year.
BOTH PLAYERS SCOUTED
    "I went down to Cairo, Ill., to watch him Friday night, we had another scout look him over Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, and John Donaldson sc outed him Sunday in Kansas City. All reports on him were very good, and it looks like he'll be up next year.
    "Donaldson has been scouting Boyd for some time, and a few weeks back followed the club on a southern tour. He was high in his praise of Boyd."
    The signing of Hairston marked the first Negro player to be signed by the White Sox.
    The big catcher, who can also play third base, was born in Crawford, Miss., Jan. 20, 1925. He started his baseball career in the Birmingham (Ala.) City League, where he now lives. Hairston joined the Clowns in 1945.
PACED NAL BATTERS
    Last year Hairston finished the season with an average of .307. He was hitting .349 when the Sox bought his contract.
    He's 5 feet 10 1/2 inches high, weighs 195 and bats from the righthand side of the plate.
    Boyd was born in Memphis 24 years ago. He is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School where he starred in baseball, basketball, football and track. He joined the Memphis Red Sox in 1947.
    The first baseman paced the batters in the Negro American League in 1948 with an average of .372. He batted .369 in 1949, and was hitting .354 when he was bought by the Sox.
    In 1949, the chunky first sacker, paced the Negro American League batters with a mark of .372.

The captions above and below the pictures read:
BOB BOYD, Memphis Red Sox first baseman who has become the center of a controversy that threatens to go into court. Boyd was sold to the Chicago White Sox who sent him to Colorado Springs. The deal was negotiated by Dr. B. B. Martin, general manager of the Red Sox. Dr. W. S. Martin, owner of Martin Stadium, said the deal was unauthorized. The Sox paid $12,500 for the player.

SAM HAIRSTON, Indianapolis Clowns catcher who was sold to the Chicago White Sox last week. He was sent to the Sox farm club at Colorado Springs, Colo., in the Class A. Western League.
Chicago Defender Article about John Donaldson