[5] He made his professional debut with the Brockton Shoemakers of the Class B New England League.

[8] The Red Sox sold McHale to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Class AA International League before the 1912 season, along with Henri Rondeau, Hap Myers, Billy Purtell, Walter Lonergan, Jack Killilay, and Steve White, for Hugh Bedient.

[11] After beginning the 1913 season with Jersey City, the New York Yankees purchased McHale from the Skeeters for $6,000 in August 1913.

Gardner left the group and was replaced by Bill Lyons, who was not a baseball player, but was signed to a contract with the Red Sox "to make the name of the act look proper", according to McHale.

[5] They performed in local venues, including Keith's Theatre, during the baseball offseasons.

[5] In 1918, McHale enlisted in the United States Army Air Service, serving as a Lieutenant in the 22nd Regiment of Engineers.

[5] After retiring from baseball, McHale wrote articles for The Evening Sun, which were sold by the Wheeler Syndicate to newspapers around the country.