Wally Teninga
Encyclopedia
Walter Henry "Wally" Teninga (born February 14, 1928 in Roseland, Chicago
, Illinois
) is a former American football
halfback
and businessman. He played for the University of Michigan
's undefeated national championship teams in 1947 and 1948 and later became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Kmart Corporation.
section of Chicago
's south side. He attended Morgan Park High School where he was a starting halfback for three years on the varsity team.
where he played football for the Michigan Wolverines football
teams from 1945 and 1947 to 1949. He was a member of the 1945 team that first employed the two-platoon system of football in a game against Army in Yankee Stadium. At age 17, Teninga started seven games at left halfback for the 1945 Wolverines, and was the Wolverines' leading ground gainer.
Teninga missed the 1946 season while serving in the U.S. Army. He returned to Ann Arbor
in 1947 and was a member of the university's undefeated national championship teams of 1947 and 1948. In 1947, Teninga was the team's punter, defensive right halfback, and second string offensive halfback behind Bob Chappuis
and Bump Elliott
.
In 1948, he shared the right halfback position with Leo Koceski
and also handled punting duties, averaging 41.5 yards per punt. A newspaper profile of Teninga in 1949 described his versatility as a backfield player:
Sports writer John Mayhew called Teninga "one of Michigan's finest all-around football players," and referred to him as "a great 'insurance' member of the squad, often filling in the backfield at critical times without taking anything from the squad effort." After Teninga graduated in 1950, Mayhew posed the question of who would become the "Teninga" of the 1950 squad.
Teninga was drafted in the 17th round of the 1949 NFL Draft
by the New York Giants
. He elected instead to return to Michigan to play his fourth season of college football for the Michigan Wolverines. In the 1949 college football season, Teninga scored the game-winning touchdown in a 14–7 win over Minnesota
and threw a touchdown pass to Leo Koceski for Michigan's only score in a 7–7 tie with Ohio State
. He was also a major contributor in Michigan's 14–0 win over Illinois
in 1949, forcing and recovering an Illinois fumble, launching a 69-yard punt, and making key tackles on defense. After the 1949 season, Teninga played on the East All-Star team at the East-West Shrine Game
in San Francisco. Teninga intercepted a pass thrown by the Western All-Stars' quarterback to help lead the East team to a 28–6 victory.
Teninga was elected as Michigan's senior class president in 1949 with a campaign that included passing out little white candy balls and the slogan emphasizing his halfback duties for the football team: "Carry the ball for Teninga — and let Teninga carry the ball for you."
. Teninga lived for many years in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
with his wife, the former Nancy Anne Neumann of Birmingham, Michigan
. Teninga retired from Kmart in 1979, and went to work for Sol Price
's company, Price Club
, an innovator in the retail warehouse store
concept. He later returned to Chicago where he started and ran Wholesale Club, Inc., doing business as "The Warehouse Club," a competitor of the Price Club in the 1980s. Teninga also served on the board of directors of Developers Diversified Realty Corporation
, one of the largest owners of shopping malls in the United States, from the time of its initial public offering in 1993 until his retirement in 1998.
In 1975, Teninga was inducted into the Roseland-Pullman area Sports Hall of Fame.
Roseland, Chicago
Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and businessman. He played for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's undefeated national championship teams in 1947 and 1948 and later became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Kmart Corporation.
Early years
A native of Chicago, Teninga was the son of Cornelius and Emma Teninga. He was the youngest of five children and grew up at 10718 Normal Avenue in the RoselandRoseland, Chicago
Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland...
section of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's south side. He attended Morgan Park High School where he was a starting halfback for three years on the varsity team.
University of Michigan
Teninga enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he played football for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams from 1945 and 1947 to 1949. He was a member of the 1945 team that first employed the two-platoon system of football in a game against Army in Yankee Stadium. At age 17, Teninga started seven games at left halfback for the 1945 Wolverines, and was the Wolverines' leading ground gainer.
Teninga missed the 1946 season while serving in the U.S. Army. He returned to Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in 1947 and was a member of the university's undefeated national championship teams of 1947 and 1948. In 1947, Teninga was the team's punter, defensive right halfback, and second string offensive halfback behind Bob Chappuis
Bob Chappuis
Robert Richard "Bob" Chappuis is a former American football player who played halfback and quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1942, 1946, and 1947. His college years were interrupted by service in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II...
and Bump Elliott
Bump Elliott
Chalmers W. "Bump" Elliott is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played halfback at Purdue University and the University of Michigan...
.
In 1948, he shared the right halfback position with Leo Koceski
Leo Koceski
Leo Robert "Bugsy" Koceski, Jr. , also known as the "Canonsburg Comet," is a former American football halfback. He played for Michigan's undefeated national championship team in 1948 and the 1950 Big Ten championship team that defeated the California in the 1951 Rose Bowl.-Early years:Koceski was...
and also handled punting duties, averaging 41.5 yards per punt. A newspaper profile of Teninga in 1949 described his versatility as a backfield player:
"He passes sufficiently well and Oosterbaan has no doubts of his ability to handle Michigan's multipronged offense. . . . Teninga, now taking reserve officer's training at Camp Lee, has had an odd career at Michigan. One of Fritz CrislerFritz CrislerHerbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
's gallant 17 year olds in '45, he divided the tailback with Pete Elliott. Then he was in the Army for two years. When Teninga returned in '47, Fritz Crisler had his Magicians, YergesHoward YergesHoward Frederick Yerges, Jr. was an American football player who played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 1943 and the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1944 to 1947...
, Bump ElliottBump ElliottChalmers W. "Bump" Elliott is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played halfback at Purdue University and the University of Michigan...
, Bob ChappuisBob ChappuisRobert Richard "Bob" Chappuis is a former American football player who played halfback and quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1942, 1946, and 1947. His college years were interrupted by service in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II...
and Jack Weisenberger. Walt became the handy man, drilling at four positions but seeing little play at any. Teninga's punting is one reason Oosterbaan would like to have him a regular. Under new substitution rules, a coach needs a solid kicker in his offensive unit at all times. Otherwise he may have to use a valuable time out."
Sports writer John Mayhew called Teninga "one of Michigan's finest all-around football players," and referred to him as "a great 'insurance' member of the squad, often filling in the backfield at critical times without taking anything from the squad effort." After Teninga graduated in 1950, Mayhew posed the question of who would become the "Teninga" of the 1950 squad.
Teninga was drafted in the 17th round of the 1949 NFL Draft
1949 NFL Draft
The 1949 National Football League Draft was held on December 21, 1948.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He elected instead to return to Michigan to play his fourth season of college football for the Michigan Wolverines. In the 1949 college football season, Teninga scored the game-winning touchdown in a 14–7 win over Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
and threw a touchdown pass to Leo Koceski for Michigan's only score in a 7–7 tie with Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. He was also a major contributor in Michigan's 14–0 win over Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
in 1949, forcing and recovering an Illinois fumble, launching a 69-yard punt, and making key tackles on defense. After the 1949 season, Teninga played on the East All-Star team at the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
in San Francisco. Teninga intercepted a pass thrown by the Western All-Stars' quarterback to help lead the East team to a 28–6 victory.
Teninga was elected as Michigan's senior class president in 1949 with a campaign that included passing out little white candy balls and the slogan emphasizing his halfback duties for the football team: "Carry the ball for Teninga — and let Teninga carry the ball for you."
Business career
Teninga graduated in 1950 with a degree in economics and returned to Chicago to work in his father's real estate business, Teninga Real Estate Co. Teninga worked for his father's company for five-and-a-half years before accepting a position in the mid-1950s with S.S. Kresge Co. With the Kresge company, Teninga was originally assigned to work in Detroit. He later spent seven years in Los Angeles, during which time he became the company's western region manager. Subsequently he returned to the Detroit area while he was serving Director of Corporate Growth he enrolled as a candidate for an MBA degree in a 2 year evening program conducted by Michigan State University from which he graduated in 1971. He was promoted in April 1972 to vice chairman and chief financial and development officer of S.S. Kresge Co. and KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
. Teninga lived for many years in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
with his wife, the former Nancy Anne Neumann of Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
. Teninga retired from Kmart in 1979, and went to work for Sol Price
Sol Price
Sol Price was the founder of FedMart and Price Club . He is considered a pioneer of the "warehouse store" retail model....
's company, Price Club
Price Club
Price Club was the pioneer of the warehouse store. Founded by Sol Price in San Diego, California in 1976, the company charged shoppers a $25 annual membership fee to purchase bulk products at discount prices in a no-frills warehouse setting. Price Club's high sales volume enabled Price to give his...
, an innovator in the retail warehouse store
Warehouse store
A warehouse store, as opposed to a warehouse club, is a retail location with a limited variety of merchandise sold in bulk at a discount to customers...
concept. He later returned to Chicago where he started and ran Wholesale Club, Inc., doing business as "The Warehouse Club," a competitor of the Price Club in the 1980s. Teninga also served on the board of directors of Developers Diversified Realty Corporation
Developers Diversified Realty Corporation
DDR is an owner and manager of retail shopping centers in the United States. The company was founded in 1965 and is based in Beachwood, Ohio, an eastern suburb of Greater Cleveland. It operates in 41 U.S. states, Brazil and Puerto Rico. After rebranding itself in 2011 DDR adopted the new brand...
, one of the largest owners of shopping malls in the United States, from the time of its initial public offering in 1993 until his retirement in 1998.
In 1975, Teninga was inducted into the Roseland-Pullman area Sports Hall of Fame.