• Card series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
• City: Boston
• Team: Beaneaters
• League: National League

Frederick Tenney (1871-1952) built a twenty-year career in pro baseball, most of it in the major leagues and mostly in Boston. As a catcher, Tenney led his Brown University team to a “national championship” according to Harper’s Weekly in 1894. His play caught the attention of the Boston Beaneaters and he was signed to play for future Hall of Fame manager Frank Selee who developed Fred into a premier first-sacker. Through his friendship with Boston owner Arthur Soden, Tenney remained a loyal and evermore valued player-captain-manager and jack of all trades. His career as manager was lackluster in winning percentage but Fred was popular and the club made money, his and the team’s main objective. Sold to the Giants in 1908, Tenney had a great season at bat. Ironically, the sole game he missed that year was on September 23 when Fred Merkle subbed for him. The ensuing “boner” cost this great player his only shot at a World Series.

• Tenney was called the “Soiled Collegian” signifying his era’s disdain for university grads playing such a tawdry game
• The durable infielder holds the record for leading the NL in assists eight times, including seven straight years 1901-07