Buckenberger was not a hard driver; he was a kind and tolerant leader who insisted that his players be sober gentlemen at a time when such conduct was not the rule. A light-hitting minor league infielder, he began managing in 1884 at Terre Haute in the Northwest League. His highest ML finish was second with Pittsburgh in 1893. After a seventh-place finish in 1894, he was replaced by Connie Mack.
