stenzel was born in cincinnati, in 1867. he started his professional baseball career in 1887 in the ohio state league and batted .387 in 41 games. he then spent the next two seasons in the tri-state league. in 1890, stenzel hit .311 for the texas league's galveston sand crabs and also made his major league debut with the chicago colts. he went back to the minors after the season. in 1892, while playing for the portland webfeet, he led the pacific northwest league in batting average, at .339. he joined the national league's pittsburgh pirates towards the end of the season and went hitless in nine at bats.