Henley was born in Sacramento, California. He worked with his father as a bricklayer, while he began his baseball career as a pitcher.[1] In 1903, he pitched in an outlaw league.[2]
On June 8, 1909, Henley pitched a 24-inningcomplete gameshutout against the Oakland Oaks, with the Seals winning the game 1–0. This is the longest complete game shutout in baseball history.[5] He finished the 1909 season with a 31–10 win–loss record; his .756 winning percentage was the best in the PCL.[6] Henley won 34 games in the 1910 season, setting a PCL record.[7]
After the 1913 season, San Francisco traded Henley and Roy McArdle to the Venice Tigers for Spider Baum.[8] Henley did not report to the Tigers in 1916 due to a salary dispute, as the Tigers wanted to cut his salary.[9] He signed on with the Sacramento franchise in the independent Trolley League.[10] Henley also played for the Colusa Prune Pickers of the Trolley League in 1916.[11]
Henley had a career record of 218–174 (.556) in the PCL.[12]
Later life
After he retired from baseball, Henley drove a school bus in Fruitridge Pocket, California. Henley died on July 9, 1929, during an operation.[13]
^"1 May 1905, 2". The Sacramento Star. May 1, 1905. Retrieved August 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^"14 Mar 1907, 2". The Sacramento Star. March 14, 1907. Retrieved August 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^Alcalá, Carlos (June 8, 2009). "1909 complete-game shutout is one for baseball's record books". The Sacramento Bee. p. B1, B6. Retrieved August 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. The record has not been broken – and perhaps cannot be. One hundred years ago today, a young Sacramentan threw the longest shutout by a single pitcher in professional baseball history: 24 innings.
^"19 Dec 1909, 31". The San Francisco Examiner. December 19, 1909. Retrieved August 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^"16 Oct 1922". San Francisco Chronicle. October 16, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved August 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
