Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-03-13
BIG MAN PHYSICALLY AND ALSO MENTALLY John K. Tener, National League Head, An Ex-
 ceptional Man. ROSE FROM BOTTOM. Climb From Store Clerk to Baseball, Congress and GOvernOrship Some
 of His Accomplishments.
ROSE FROM BOTTOM.
By Frank c. Menke.

New York, March 12.-Bring to your mind picture of the biggest, husk- lest being that you ever have seen. include even the white hopes" and the men who pose as mastodons in the circus sideshows-and then you have pretty fair idea of the physical makeup of John K. Tener, the man who is bossing the state of Pennsyl- vania and the National Baseball League at one and the same time
 Tener is huge, massive, tremendous. Advancing years have made him slightly bulky amidship, but they have not robbed him of much of the won derful strength of his youth, and to- today, at the age of 51, he still looks perfectly able to life an ordinary sized man off his feet, twirl him around like a drum maor's baton and then crush an egg shell. But never in his life has Tener called upon his
 
 life's battles. He is a disciple of mo- ral suasion, diplomat of the rarest kind. These assets, combined with a strong power, a wonderful personal ity born leadership of men have won for him in life's battles; have lifted him from a general store clerk to ball player, to banker, to Con- gress and finally into the position as governor of the second greatest state in the Union.
 Kindly Big Man.
 To know Tener is first to admire and then to love him. There is about him gentleness, kindliness that is almost womanly. He has rare, won derful smile that seldom is absent from his face. He is patient, courte- ous, but never patronizing Tener is Irish, and the Celtic strain is appar- ent in his love for a good story, his dry, keen wit, and his ability to tell a good story-and tell it well.
 Tener acts slowly but surely. He looks before he leaps-and then takes another look. But when once he has decided to make the leap he is sure of landing in safety. And his speech is like his actions. He talks slowly, seeming to pick his way, choosing each word before he utters it, but making each word ring the bell.
 Baseball today is gigantic busi- ness in which millions of dollars are invested. As executive of one parti cular branch of that industry I shall do everything in my power to protect those interested and to see that jus tice is meted out to all"
 lThat was the gist of Tener's speech to the National League mag mates last December when he was elected. Already he has made good. He decided that Murphy was detri- ment to the National League. He went over the ground carefully before he decided in the Murphy case. Then when he arrived at his conclusion, it was an unalterable one-and Murphy went out.
 Born in Ireland.
 Tener was born in Ireland and when boy came to the land made famous by George Conan. He got a job as clerk in store at $4 each and every week. At odd times he studied baseball. Once week, after he mas tered the game, he earnd $1 extra playing first base for a semt-pro team.
 The Pittsburgh club became cog nizant of his powers after time and gave him tryout. He foozled and was released to Baltimore. Again be foozleds and as a penance he had to take a job with a Hayerhill> (Mass.) team. That decided Tener that he had made a mistake thinking he ever would be firse baseman. So he went in for pitching and his success as hurler landed him back in the big tent-as a member of the Chicago team of 1888.
 Tener was considerable of pitcher. Players in those days declared that he used to stick the ball in his back pocket and just swing one of his pis ton-like Aarms at them. They. were sure of this for whenever Tener WAS pitchingt the batters never could see the ball as it .whistled across the plate. M e- R&
 When Al G. Spalding and other bali players in the period of 1SSS-S9 set the going around the world" fash lon. Tener went along. That compli-