In 1912, Pennsylvania Governor and former major league pitcher John Tener, told William Phelon of The Cincinnati Times-Star about how a minor league team made a payroll during his playing days.
John Tener
“Such a thing as one day’s pay wouldn’t exactly break or worry me, that is wouldn’t worry me know, and it has been some years since I have had occasion to fret about losing one day’s wages. Yet believe me there was once a time when I was robbed of one day’s salary, and that one day’s salary seemed to John K. Tener, as big as the First National Bank to the average young clerk at the present time. And—just to show what strange things happen in this world—the man who took away John K. Tener’s poor little one day’s pay was in the after years Justice (William Henry) Moody, of the (United States) supreme court bench—that’s how life really happens in this republic of ours, and, I’m sure, the one day’s pay he saved on me looked as big to him right then as half a million did a few years subsequently.
“It was long, long ago when the world was very young, and I was a pitcher for the Haverhill team (1885) Tommy McCarthy, who afterwards grew so renowned as one of the headiest players of the champion Bostons, was one of the Haverhill outfielders, and Justice Moody was one of the chief officials of the Haverhill club. The season was drawing to a close, the Haverhill team was losing money, and it seemed doubtful whether the exchequer could be so replenished that everybody would get what was coming to him at the final settlement.
Tommy McCarthy
“The days ran along and finally but one more day remained. That night the stockholders of the club held a meeting, inspected the books, and did some great figuring as to ways and means. Towards 11 o’clock, they found that they would lack only a few dollars of enough to settle up—but where were they going to find those few dollars? That was the question, and they were debating on passing the hat when a great thought struck Mr. Moody. ‘Gentlemen,’ he said, ‘I have it! Upstairs, in the hotel, our two highest salaried players, Tener and McCarthy, are now asleep. If we could save one day out of their wages we would have just enough to see us through. Let’s release them and save tomorrow’s salaries.
“The stockholders carried the suggestion by acclamation, and releases were duly carried out. Then a glance at the clock showed it was 11:30. In half an hour or more it would be too late—a new day would begin, and we would have to have our full day’s pay. Mr. Moody was deputed to bring us the news—which was considered a ticklish task, as I was large and McCarthy was quick tempered. Somewhat bashfully, he came upstairs, woke us up, and gracefully handed us our releases. Then he fled before Tom and I could get our heads clear and realize the situation.
“And, believe me, in those days I was so short of money that it just about broke my heart to lose that one day’s pay. But I had to lose it, just the same, and Mr. Moody was the winner. Did I ever get it back? Not the money I didn’t—but I have often made Justice Moody buy enough good wine to pay for that several times over.”
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Tener served in the United States House of Representatives, was Governor of Pennsylvania and President of the National League, but his short career as a player remained important to him. A story made the rounds in many newspapers (although at least a decade after he left office) that when signing a bill into law while governor, a legislator said:
“Governor Tener, I think that’s one of the best things you ever did.”
Tener was said to have replied:
“You’ve got it all wrong–I once shut out the Giants.”
On his 81st birthday, July 25, 1944, The Associated Press asked about the “move to get Tener’s name added to the roll of immortals in Baseball’s Hall of Fame.” Tener, and another former National League President, John Heydler had been an early and ardent supporter of the establishment of the Hall of Fame.
“(Tener) laughs that off. ‘I don’t belong there.'”
Baseball History Daily 