The first ex-player to become a president of a major league, Tener was born in Ireland and pitched for Cap Anson‘s Chicago White Stockings. He went with the club on its 1888-89 tour around the world and, an accountant was made treasurer for the trip by the players. When they returned to discover the owners had imposed salary restrictions, Tener became secretary of the Brotherhood of Professional Players and jumped to Pittsburgh in the new Players’ League. The league folded in 1890. Tener entered banking and politics and was elected to Congress in 1908. He was governor of Pennsylvania for a four-year term and was asked to become president of the National League. He accepted in 1914 and remained until 1918, when he resigned over a dispute with the American League over the contract of a player, Scott Perry.
