His professional debut came with the Boston Beaneaters in 1891, but he was in and out of the Major Leagues, amassing a total of 125 at-bats in five seasons.

Shortly after, he was hired by the crosstown Boston Doves, but in his only season for them, he finished 53–100, 50+1⁄2 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs.

[3] Before having Fred in 1866, the couple had given birth to their first child, Edgar James, their second son, Rupert, and daughter Alice.

As a young teenager, Fred was dependent on his mother as well as his two older brothers who had jobs in a local pottery factory.

In 1890 he joined the New Brunswick Provincial League back in Canada and was hired as the captain and manager of the Moncton team.

Lake was credited for discovering some great players such as Tris Speaker, Smokey Joe Wood, Harry Hooper and Bill Carrigan.

[3] In 1908, at the age of 41, Lake's career took a dramatic turn when he was hired to replace Red Sox manager Deacon McGuire, under whom the team was floundering.

That season, Lake had added rookie and future Hall of Famer Harry Hooper to the team as well as moving Tris Speaker to full-time in center field.

After leaving the Red Sox, Lake took over the Boston Beaneaters, nicknamed the Doves, which are now the Atlanta Braves.

Despite the unsuccessful season, an interesting story was published about Lake in the Mansfield (Ohio) News on October 4.

My idea of scouting is to stay off men who you know will not prosper in the big leagues and buy up only the players who you feel will make good when tried out.

In 1913 he managed the New Bedford Whalers of the New England League, and moved the team to become the Fitchburg in 1914 due to poor attendance.

[3] Lake began coaching in 1916 for Colby College in Maine, and for Tufts University in Boston a few years later.

Shortly after 1900 Griffin gave birth to their first son and final child, Fred Jr.[3] In November 1931, after an extremely unstable life and career, Lake was admitted to New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston where he died due to heart problems on November 24, 1931.