John K. Tener

John Kinley Tener was born in 1863 in County Tyrone, Ireland, and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1885 he turned to professional baseball as a pitcher and outfielder and made his Major League debut that year with the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association. He then played for the Chicago White Stockings of the National League, now the Chicago Cubs, and for the Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players' League in 1890. After the 1888 season he went with the Chicago club on its world tour, and he served as secretary of the Brotherhood of Professional Players, an early players union. After retiring from the game he became a banker in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, sat in the United States House of Representatives, organized the first Congressional Baseball Game, and served as the 25th governor of Pennsylvania from 1911 until 1915. He later served as president of the National League until he resigned in August 1918, and he died in Pittsburgh in 1946.