Career
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 5th round (71st overall) of the 1973 National Hockey League Amateur Draft, and was also drafted by the Toronto Toros in the 9th round (106th overall) of the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft. Tenesi played in the American Hockey League with the Hershey Bears. He also played in the International Hockey League, Central Hockey League and the North American Hockey League.
Tenesi would spend the final years of his career playing in Italy"s Serie A, the premier ice hockey league of Italy.
He played for Italy in the 1982 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Helsinki, Finland, leading Italy to a 7th-place finish. Aside from a secondary assist in a match vs Canada, Tenesi was held scoreless for the remainder of the tournament.
Tenesi was one of several Johnstown Jets players who were cast in the movie Slap Shot. He was cast as Billy Charlebois, a defenseman on the team who was popular with the ladies and would always find time to check himself out in a mirror.
Although in real life he was born in Detroit, Tenesi"s character is said to be from "Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan" during one of the Chiefs" fashion shows.
Tenesi was one of three primary characters on the Jets" roster to not have a speaking part. In 1988, Tenesi retired from professional hockey. He returned to Toronto, where he became a service technician for a major swimming pool dealer.
