Johnny Bassler
Encyclopedia
John Landis Bassler was a Major League Baseball
catcher
. Born in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
. Bassler played professional baseball from 1913 to 1937, including 9 seasons in the major leagues with the Cleveland Naps
( - ) and Detroit Tigers
( - ). Bassler had a career on base percentage
of .416 in his 9 major league seasons, the second highest all time among major league catchers. He was considered the best catcher in baseball from 1921–1925, finishing in the top 7 in the American League’s Most Valuable Player voting three straight years: 6th in 1922, 7th in 1923, and 5th in 1924. In addition to his major league career, Bassler played 15 years in the Pacific Coast League
and has been inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. After his playing career ended, Bassler lived in Southern California. He died on June 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California
.
family in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
. He was one of 13 children. He left the Mennonite community in 1912 at age 17 and moved, on his own, to California. Bassler worked as an usher at one of the big theaters in Los Angeles. When two major league teams held a series of exhibition games in Los Angeles, Bassler attended. One of the team’s catchers was injured during the game. In a stroke of luck, Bassler later told his family that the manager of the team came to the theater that night, and Bassler asked him what he was going to do for a catcher. Bassler told the manager he was a catcher, and the manager told Bassler to “come on out.”
That turned out to be Bassler’s big break, as he was playing his first major league game for the Cleveland Naps
on July 11, 1913. Just one month after his 18th birthday, Bassler was in the major leagues, playing on the same team as Nap Lajoie
and Shoeless Joe Jackson
.
Bassler played only one game for the Naps in 1913 – an 11-5 loss to Connie Mack
’s Philadelphia Athletics. Bassler went hitless in 2 plate appearance
s and committed an error
in that game. He did not play again until 1914. In 1914, Bassler played in 43 games for the Naps but hit only .182.
After a disappointing start with the Naps, Bassler returned to Los Angeles
and played for the Los Angeles Angels
of the Pacific Coast League
. Bassler played 6 seasons with the Angels
from 1915-1920.
. Over the next seven seasons, from 1921-1927, Bassler proved to be the best catcher in the major leagues, finishing in the top seven in the American League’s Most Valuable Player voting three straight years: 6th in 1922, 7th in 1923, and 5th in 1924.
Bassler was an outstanding offensive and defensive player. Baseball analyst Bill James
wrote that, "if his major league career wasn’t so short he would rank among the top 20 catcher
s of all time.” ("The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
," (2001), p. 482). Because of the brevity of his major league career, James
ranks Bassler as the 47th best catcher
of all time.
Bassler was a career .304 hitter with a good batting eye. He walked 437 times in his major league career, while striking out only 81 times. That is a remarkable ratio of 5.4 walks per strikeout
– one of the highest in major league history. The only two American League
players known to have a higher walk per strikeout ratio are Joe Sewell
and Tris Speaker
.
Bassler was also among the American League
leaders in at bats per strikeout four straight years from 1922-1925. His 1925 total of 57.3 at bats per strikeout is one of the highest in American League
history. Only nine American League
batters (Joe Sewell
, Stuffy McInnis
, Tris Speaker
, Mickey Cochrane
, Sam Rice
, Eddie Collins
, Dale Mitchell
, Homer Summa
, and Lou Boudreau
) have had a season with a higher at bat per strikeout ratio than Bassler.
Bassler’s sharp eye helped fuel his career .416 On base percentage
. Bassler had an on base percentage
over .400 in all seven years he played for the Tigers (1921–1927). The only major league catcher with a higher career on base percentage
is Mickey Cochrane
who had a career on base percentage of .419. Bassler’s on base percentage of .441 was second only to Babe Ruth
. His .406 on base percentage in his years with the Tigers ranks third in franchise history, behind Ty Cobb
and Hank Greenberg
. And his .346 batting average
in 1924 was 5th best in the league and tops on a Detroit Tigers
team that included Hall of Fame batsmen, Ty Cobb
, Harry Heilmann
, and Heinie Manush
.
Bassler was also an outstanding defensive catcher
in his years with the Detroit Tigers
. In 1923, his .988 fielding percentage
(eight errors in 128 games) was twelve points higher than the league average of .975. Bassler was known for his strong throwing arm. In his prime years from 1921–1925, Bassler had 462 assists
in 482 games. In 1923, he had 133 assists
in 128 games as a catcher. He also had 14 double play
s in 118 games in 1925.
The weakest area of Bassler’s game was power. In 2,319 career at bats, Bassler hit only 1 home run
.
came to bat, player-manager Ty Cobb
whistled a signal to Bassler and pitcher Hooks Dauss
from center field, directing them to give Ruth an intentional walk. When Dauss threw a strike past Ruth, Cobb ran to the infield, yelling at Dauss and Bassler for disobeying his order. When Dauss then threw a second strike past Ruth, Cobb raced in again, stomped around and pulled both Dauss and Bassler from the game. After warming up, the relief pitcher fired a third strike past an unsuspecting Ruth. Cobb reportedly doubled up in laughter, calling it a "once in a lifetime setup play." (Al Stumpf, "Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball" (1994), p. 350)
of the Pacific Coast League
. Bassler continued his playing career for several more years on the West Coast. He played for the Stars
from 1928-1935. In 1930 he hit .365 to lead Hollywood to the PCL pennant. In 1931 he hit .354, and in 1933 hit .336. According to Bill James
, "the PCL didn’t record walks, but it would be a safe guess that he wasn’t walking any less often." ("The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
," (2001), p. 482).
In his book, "The Hollywood Stars," Richard E. Beverage wrote that Bassler was “one of the greatest catchers in minor league history.” He caught 868 games for Hollywood
and had a batting average
of .331. Perhaps his best year was 1932 when he caught 156 games and batted .357. ("The Hollywood Stars," by Richard E. Beverage.)
Bassler also played in 1936 and 1937 for the Seattle Indians
in the PCL
. He was a player manager in 1937. Bill Klepper, the Seattle Indians
owner, had major financial problems. On the last day of the 1937 season, pitcher Dick Barrett
needed two victories to reach 20 and earn a $500 bonus. He beat Sacramento 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. Between games, federal and state tax agents seized the gate receipts for money due on admission taxes. Klepper told Bassler to pitch Marion Oppelt in the second game. Bassler started Barrett anyway. Barrett went all the way and got his 20th win, 11-2. The next morning, September 20, 1937, Klepper fired Bassler for insubordination. ("Strike 1 Was for Pay -- Early Rainiers Used Sitdown Strategy to Collect Wages from Owner," The Seattle Times
, October 2, 1991) In December 1937, Klepper sold the club to Emil Sick, owner of the Rainier Brewing Company
Sick changed the team's nickname to the Seattle Rainiers
and hired another former Detroit Tiger
, Jack Lelivelt
, to manage the team.
In 1,525 games in the Pacific Coast League
, Bassler had a .321 batting average with 198 doubles and 403 RBIs. He was subsequently inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame.
Bassler also coached with the Cleveland Indians
and St. Louis Browns
in the late 1930s, after his playing career had ended.
During the 1940 season, Bassler was the #2 man under Indians
' manager (and former Bassler teammate) Ossie Vitt
. Vitt was a tough man to get along with and became embroiled in a player revolt by the 1940 team that became known as the "Cleveland Crybabies." In his autobiography, Bob Feller
wrote that the players decided to stop dealing with Vitt
and work instead with Bassler. "We decided to go around Vitt. We worked with his coaches, mostly with his number two man, Johnny Bassler. We were doing what people in a lot of organizations with management problems do: ignore the top guy and work with the second in command." ("Now Pitching, Bob Feller: A Baseball Memoir," by Bob Feller
, p. 98)
and Malibu, California.
Bassler’s son James Bassler is a renowned weaver and fiber artist who was a Professor at UCLA. The Smithsonian Institution
conducted a lengthy oral history
of James Bassler in which he spoke extensively about his father. A full transcript of the oral history can be viewed on the Internet. The topics covered in James Bassler’s oral history include the following:
Bassler died on June 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California
. He was 84 years old. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. Born in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove is an unincorporated community located within East Drumore Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Mechanic Grove is located along U.S. Route 222 south of the town of Quarryville....
. Bassler played professional baseball from 1913 to 1937, including 9 seasons in the major leagues with the Cleveland Naps
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
( - ) and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
( - ). Bassler had a career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .416 in his 9 major league seasons, the second highest all time among major league catchers. He was considered the best catcher in baseball from 1921–1925, finishing in the top 7 in the American League’s Most Valuable Player voting three straight years: 6th in 1922, 7th in 1923, and 5th in 1924. In addition to his major league career, Bassler played 15 years in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
and has been inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. After his playing career ended, Bassler lived in Southern California. He died on June 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
Early life
Bassler was born in 1895 to a MennoniteMennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
family in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove is an unincorporated community located within East Drumore Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Mechanic Grove is located along U.S. Route 222 south of the town of Quarryville....
. He was one of 13 children. He left the Mennonite community in 1912 at age 17 and moved, on his own, to California. Bassler worked as an usher at one of the big theaters in Los Angeles. When two major league teams held a series of exhibition games in Los Angeles, Bassler attended. One of the team’s catchers was injured during the game. In a stroke of luck, Bassler later told his family that the manager of the team came to the theater that night, and Bassler asked him what he was going to do for a catcher. Bassler told the manager he was a catcher, and the manager told Bassler to “come on out.”
That turned out to be Bassler’s big break, as he was playing his first major league game for the Cleveland Naps
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
on July 11, 1913. Just one month after his 18th birthday, Bassler was in the major leagues, playing on the same team as Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
and Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
.
Bassler played only one game for the Naps in 1913 – an 11-5 loss to Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
’s Philadelphia Athletics. Bassler went hitless in 2 plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s and committed an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in that game. He did not play again until 1914. In 1914, Bassler played in 43 games for the Naps but hit only .182.
After a disappointing start with the Naps, Bassler returned to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and played for the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. Bassler played 6 seasons with the Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
from 1915-1920.
Detroit Tigers (1921-1927)
In 1921, the 26-year-old Bassler made it back to the major leagues with the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Over the next seven seasons, from 1921-1927, Bassler proved to be the best catcher in the major leagues, finishing in the top seven in the American League’s Most Valuable Player voting three straight years: 6th in 1922, 7th in 1923, and 5th in 1924.
Bassler was an outstanding offensive and defensive player. Baseball analyst Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
wrote that, "if his major league career wasn’t so short he would rank among the top 20 catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
s of all time.” ("The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
," (2001), p. 482). Because of the brevity of his major league career, James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
ranks Bassler as the 47th best catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
of all time.
Bassler was a career .304 hitter with a good batting eye. He walked 437 times in his major league career, while striking out only 81 times. That is a remarkable ratio of 5.4 walks per strikeout
Walk-to-strikeout ratio
In baseball statistics, walk-to-strikeout ratio is a measure of a hitter's plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. Generally, a hitter with a good walk-to-strikeout ratio must exhibit enough patience at the plate to refrain from swinging at bad pitches and take a base on balls, but he...
– one of the highest in major league history. The only two American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
players known to have a higher walk per strikeout ratio are Joe Sewell
Joe Sewell
Joseph Wheeler Sewell was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees...
and Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
.
Bassler was also among the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
leaders in at bats per strikeout four straight years from 1922-1925. His 1925 total of 57.3 at bats per strikeout is one of the highest in American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
history. Only nine American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
batters (Joe Sewell
Joe Sewell
Joseph Wheeler Sewell was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees...
, Stuffy McInnis
Stuffy McInnis
John Phalen "Stuffy" McInnis was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball.McInnis gained his nickname as a youngster in the Boston suburban leagues, where his spectacular playing brought shouts of "that's the stuff, kid".From 1909-27, McInnis played for the Philadelphia Athletics ,...
, Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
, Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
, Sam Rice
Sam Rice
Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice was an American pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963....
, Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. , nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive...
, Dale Mitchell
Dale Mitchell (baseball)
Loren Dale Mitchell was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1946 through 1956, Mitchell played for the Cleveland Indians and Brooklyn Dodgers...
, Homer Summa
Homer Summa
Homer Wayne Summa was a right fielder in major league baseball from 1920 to 1930. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but played most of his career for the Cleveland Indians before finishing as a reserve with the Philadelphia Athletics. His career batting average was .302...
, and Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
) have had a season with a higher at bat per strikeout ratio than Bassler.
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. Bassler had an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
over .400 in all seven years he played for the Tigers (1921–1927). The only major league catcher with a higher career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
is Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
who had a career on base percentage of .419. Bassler’s on base percentage of .441 was second only to Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
. His .406 on base percentage in his years with the Tigers ranks third in franchise history, behind Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
and Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
. And his .346 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 1924 was 5th best in the league and tops on a Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
team that included Hall of Fame batsmen, Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, Harry Heilmann
Harry Heilmann
Harry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a Major League Baseball player who played 17 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923, 1925 and...
, and Heinie Manush
Heinie Manush
Henry Emmett Manush , nicknamed "Heinie" due to his German heritage, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964....
.
Bassler was also an outstanding defensive catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in his years with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. In 1923, his .988 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(eight errors in 128 games) was twelve points higher than the league average of .975. Bassler was known for his strong throwing arm. In his prime years from 1921–1925, Bassler had 462 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
in 482 games. In 1923, he had 133 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
in 128 games as a catcher. He also had 14 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s in 118 games in 1925.
The weakest area of Bassler’s game was power. In 2,319 career at bats, Bassler hit only 1 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
.
A Babe Ruth Story
In 1923, Bassler was part of one of the great trick plays in baseball history. When Babe RuthBabe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
came to bat, player-manager Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
whistled a signal to Bassler and pitcher Hooks Dauss
Hooks Dauss
George August "Hooks" Dauss was a Major League pitcher who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Nicknamed 'Hooks' or 'Hookey' because of his hard-to-hit curveball...
from center field, directing them to give Ruth an intentional walk. When Dauss threw a strike past Ruth, Cobb ran to the infield, yelling at Dauss and Bassler for disobeying his order. When Dauss then threw a second strike past Ruth, Cobb raced in again, stomped around and pulled both Dauss and Bassler from the game. After warming up, the relief pitcher fired a third strike past an unsuspecting Ruth. Cobb reportedly doubled up in laughter, calling it a "once in a lifetime setup play." (Al Stumpf, "Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball" (1994), p. 350)
Return to the Pacific Coast League (1928-1937)
In 1928, the Tigers sold the 32-year-old Bassler to the Hollywood StarsHollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. Bassler continued his playing career for several more years on the West Coast. He played for the Stars
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
from 1928-1935. In 1930 he hit .365 to lead Hollywood to the PCL pennant. In 1931 he hit .354, and in 1933 hit .336. According to Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
, "the PCL didn’t record walks, but it would be a safe guess that he wasn’t walking any less often." ("The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
," (2001), p. 482).
In his book, "The Hollywood Stars," Richard E. Beverage wrote that Bassler was “one of the greatest catchers in minor league history.” He caught 868 games for Hollywood
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
and had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .331. Perhaps his best year was 1932 when he caught 156 games and batted .357. ("The Hollywood Stars," by Richard E. Beverage.)
Bassler also played in 1936 and 1937 for the Seattle Indians
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
in the PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. He was a player manager in 1937. Bill Klepper, the Seattle Indians
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
owner, had major financial problems. On the last day of the 1937 season, pitcher Dick Barrett
Dick Barrett
Tracy Souter Barrett [Kewpie Dick] was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between and for the Philadelphia Athletics , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 5' 9", 175 lb., Barrett batted and threw right-handed...
needed two victories to reach 20 and earn a $500 bonus. He beat Sacramento 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. Between games, federal and state tax agents seized the gate receipts for money due on admission taxes. Klepper told Bassler to pitch Marion Oppelt in the second game. Bassler started Barrett anyway. Barrett went all the way and got his 20th win, 11-2. The next morning, September 20, 1937, Klepper fired Bassler for insubordination. ("Strike 1 Was for Pay -- Early Rainiers Used Sitdown Strategy to Collect Wages from Owner," The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
, October 2, 1991) In December 1937, Klepper sold the club to Emil Sick, owner of the Rainier Brewing Company
Rainier Brewing Company
Rainier Brewing Company was a Seattle, Washington, company that brewed Rainier Beer, a popular brand in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Although Rainier was founded in 1884, the Seattle site had been brewing beer since 1878. While the beer enjoys near iconic status, it is no longer...
Sick changed the team's nickname to the Seattle Rainiers
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
and hired another former Detroit Tiger
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Jack Lelivelt
Jack Lelivelt
John Frank Lelivelt was an American outfielder who played for the Washington Senators, New York Highlanders, New York Yankees and Cleveland Naps. While playing for the Rochester Hustlers, he set the International League record for the longest hitting streak with a 42-game hitting streak in...
, to manage the team.
In 1,525 games in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, Bassler had a .321 batting average with 198 doubles and 403 RBIs. He was subsequently inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame.
Bassler also coached with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the late 1930s, after his playing career had ended.
During the 1940 season, Bassler was the #2 man under Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
' manager (and former Bassler teammate) Ossie Vitt
Ossie Vitt
Oscar Joseph "Ossie" Vitt , was a Major League Baseball third baseman in the American League for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox . Vitt later became manager of the Cleveland Indians , where he sometimes clashed with his players.-Playing career:Ossie Vitt was a product of the sandlots of...
. Vitt was a tough man to get along with and became embroiled in a player revolt by the 1940 team that became known as the "Cleveland Crybabies." In his autobiography, Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
wrote that the players decided to stop dealing with Vitt
Ossie Vitt
Oscar Joseph "Ossie" Vitt , was a Major League Baseball third baseman in the American League for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox . Vitt later became manager of the Cleveland Indians , where he sometimes clashed with his players.-Playing career:Ossie Vitt was a product of the sandlots of...
and work instead with Bassler. "We decided to go around Vitt. We worked with his coaches, mostly with his number two man, Johnny Bassler. We were doing what people in a lot of organizations with management problems do: ignore the top guy and work with the second in command." ("Now Pitching, Bob Feller: A Baseball Memoir," by Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
, p. 98)
Life after baseball
After retiring from baseball, Bassler lived in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and Malibu, California.
Bassler’s son James Bassler is a renowned weaver and fiber artist who was a Professor at UCLA. The Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
conducted a lengthy oral history
Oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews...
of James Bassler in which he spoke extensively about his father. A full transcript of the oral history can be viewed on the Internet. The topics covered in James Bassler’s oral history include the following:
- After retiring from baseball, and even during the offseason during his years in baseball, Johnny Bassler spent much of his time hooking rugs. Bassler would take old silk stockings and dye them in pots on the stove. He would then cut them in strips and hook them into silk rugs.
- In the 1940s, Bassler bought 48 acres (194,249.3 m²) in Latigo Canyon in Malibu for $75 an acre. Bassler drove up there every weekend and planted plants. According to his son, Bassler loved the chaparralChaparralChaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
. - In the 1940s, Bassler built a house on his land in Latigo Canyon. He used discarded tile from a Malibu tile company and tried to re-use wood from the demolition of the VeniceVenice, Los Angeles, CaliforniaVenice is a beachfront district on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is known for its canals, beaches and circus-like Ocean Front Walk, a two-and-a-half mile pedestrian-only promenade that features performers, fortune-tellers, artists, and vendors...
Pier. Bassler also collected materials from his job at the Twentieth Century Fox movie lot in Century CityCentury City, Los Angeles, CaliforniaCentury City is a 176-acre commercial and residential district on the Westside of the city of Los Angeles. It is bounded by Westwood on the west, Rancho Park on the southwest, Cheviot Hills and Beverlywood on the southeast, and the city of Beverly Hills on the northeast...
. According to his son, the studio job was “mainly to get building supplies.” After a project, the sets would be torn down and burned. Bassler saw an opportunity to obtain materials from discarded sets to help build his house in Latigo Canyon. Bassler’s son joked that their house went up bit by bit with pieces from Hollywood sets, including the front door from a Gene TierneyGene TierneyGene Eliza Tierney was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her to Heaven .Other notable roles include...
film "Leave Her to HeavenLeave Her to HeavenLeave Her to Heaven is a 1945 American 20th Century Fox Technicolor film noir motion picture starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, with Vincent Price, Darryl Hickman, and Chill Wills...
," and the back of the house (in Chinese style) from Gregory PeckGregory PeckEldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
’s "The Keys of the KingdomThe Keys of the KingdomThe Keys of the Kingdom is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China...
." - Bassler coached Bob FellerBob FellerOn December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
before he entered the military during World War II, and the two became friends. When Feller got out of the military, Bassler took him on a tour of the studio. Alfred HitchcockAlfred HitchcockSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
knew of Feller and let him sit in on the shooting of the film "LifeboatLifeboat (film)Lifeboat is an American war film directed by Alfred Hitchcock from a story written by John Steinbeck. The film stars Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, Mary Anderson, John Hodiak, Henry Hull, Heather Angel, Hume Cronyn and Canada Lee, and is set entirely on a lifeboat.The film is...
."
Bassler died on June 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. He was 84 years old. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica.