Born on a farm near Columbia, Missouri on June 8, 1875, Fred Goodenough was the eighth of nine children born to Elijah and Mary Goodenough. Elijah, a blacksmith and farmer, moved his family to Cowley County, Kansas when Fred was three years old. It was here that Fred began school, attending a county district school. But the Goodenoughs didn't stay in Cowley County long. When Fred was just ten, Elijah uprooted his family again, moving this time to a farm outside Des Moines, Iowa.
In the late 1880s Fred got a job delivering newspapers for the
Des Moines Register, a paper owned by Harold Leinster, Jr., the son of legendary base ball manager Harold Leinster. The younger Leinster owned a semi-professional team, the Des Moines Mascots. Fred moved from spectator to participant, playing second base before moving to catcher at age 15 in 1890.
Young Fred quickly earned a reputation as a good hitter and his affable nature endeared the red-haired youngster to his older team mates. In the summer of 1891, while just 16 years old, Fred was surprised when Leinster Jr. introduced him to Jake Works, soon to be the owner of a club in the Eastern League, the Rochester Flour Citys.
"Son," said Works to young 'Goody' (as he was known to his fellow players), "how would you like to come play ball for me in Rochester?"
Fred was speechless. His immediate thought was of his father. Elijah was no supporter of base ball. But Fred had decided to make a go of it and, confronted with his son's earnest determination, Elijah relented and gave his blessing. And so it was that Fred "Goody" Goodenough left his family farm in Iowa to become a professional ball player.
(To be continued)
ED. NOTE: I will be posting periodic updates on Fred's career as a part of The Baseball Chronicle. He will begin the 1892 season backing up Patsy Kelly with the Flour Citys.