Today in Wheeling History: January 6--Jake Stenzel, Major League Baseball player who began his career in Wheeling, passed away in Cincinnati (1919).
Jacob Charles Stenzel, known as Jake Stenzel, was born on June 24, 1867, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to German immigrants. He moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, as a teenager to pursue a career in professional baseball. Stenzel began his professional career in 1887 with the Wheeling Nailers of the Tri-State League, where he quickly established himself as a formidable hitter, batting .390 in his first season. His impressive performance in Wheeling led to opportunities in higher leagues, and he eventually made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago Colts in 1890. Stenzel played as a center fielder for several teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Browns, and Cincinnati Reds. He was known for his exceptional batting skills, achieving a career batting average of .339 and hitting over .350 for five consecutive seasons. Stenzel's best season was in 1894 when he batted .352 with 13 home runs and 121 runs batted in. He holds the Pittsburgh Pirates' single-season record for runs scored with 148 in 1894. After retiring from baseball, Stenzel returned to Cincinnati, where he passed away on January 6, 1919, at the age of 51. He is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/rS7h4), Society for American Baseball Research (https://shorturl.at/Vgz1G), Pirates Prospects (https://tinyurl.com/4bffk4n2)
Photo credits: Professional baseball player Jake Stenzel (Skewes cabinet photographs via Ebay.com)
Jacob Charles Stenzel, known as Jake Stenzel, was born on June 24, 1867, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to German immigrants. He moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, as a teenager to pursue a career in professional baseball. Stenzel began his professional career in 1887 with the Wheeling Nailers of the Tri-State League, where he quickly established himself as a formidable hitter, batting .390 in his first season. His impressive performance in Wheeling led to opportunities in higher leagues, and he eventually made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago Colts in 1890. Stenzel played as a center fielder for several teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Browns, and Cincinnati Reds. He was known for his exceptional batting skills, achieving a career batting average of .339 and hitting over .350 for five consecutive seasons. Stenzel's best season was in 1894 when he batted .352 with 13 home runs and 121 runs batted in. He holds the Pittsburgh Pirates' single-season record for runs scored with 148 in 1894. After retiring from baseball, Stenzel returned to Cincinnati, where he passed away on January 6, 1919, at the age of 51. He is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/rS7h4), Society for American Baseball Research (https://shorturl.at/Vgz1G), Pirates Prospects (https://tinyurl.com/4bffk4n2)
Photo credits: Professional baseball player Jake Stenzel (Skewes cabinet photographs via Ebay.com)
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