[2] He was a member of the Irish American Athletic Club and of the New York City Police Department, working as a traffic cop in Times Square for many years.

He competed for the United States in the 1912 Summer Olympics held in Stockholm, Sweden in the shot put where he won the gold medal.

Here he won the gold medal in the 56 lb weight throw in the second and final time this competition was held in the Olympic program.

At the age of 54, McDonald beat his old rival Matt McGrath to win the weight throw for distance at the 1933 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

It was his 26th senior national championship meet, and the Omaha World-Herald noted that he had gray hair at the time of his last victory.