Johnny Bassler
Born: 6/3/1895 in Lancaster, PA, USA
Died: 6/29/1979 in Santa Monica, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1913-07-11 | Final Game: 1927-09-30
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: John Landis Bassler
Biography
Johnny Bassler, born in 1895, was a notable American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1913 to 1927. Primarily recognized as a position player, Bassler showcased his talents over 811 games in Major League Baseball. He achieved a remarkable batting average of .304, which reflects his consistent offensive prowess during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to the more power-focused styles of play that followed. His offensive contributions included 704 hits, 1 home run, and 318 runs batted in (RBIs), highlighting his ability to drive in runs while maintaining a solid contact rate.
In addition to his hitting skills, Bassler demonstrated versatility on the base paths with 13 stolen bases throughout his career. Although not known for power hitting, as evidenced by his single home run, his ability to get on base and produce runs made him a valuable asset to his teams. Bassler's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, and his performance contributed to the evolution of offensive strategies in the game. His legacy endures as a testament to the skilled players of his time who laid the groundwork for the future of baseball.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 | 26.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.231 | 0.333 | 0.346 | 0.679 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 13.0 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.385 | 0.333 | 0.718 |
| 1926 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.500 | 1.333 | 1.833 |
| 1930 | 13.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.091 | 0.231 | 0.091 | 0.322 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 811 | 2319 | 250 | 704 | 99 | 16 | 1 | 318 | 13 | 437 | 81 | 0.304 | 0.416 | 0.361 | 0.777 | 4515.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 43 | 77 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 0.182 | -154.8 |
| 1921 | DET | AL | 119 | 388 | 37 | 119 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 56 | 2 | 58 | 16 | 0.307 | 570.2 |
| 1922 | DET | AL | 121 | 372 | 41 | 120 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 2 | 62 | 12 | 0.323 | 714.8 |
| 1923 | DET | AL | 135 | 383 | 45 | 114 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 2 | 76 | 13 | 0.298 | 635.4 |
| 1924 | DET | AL | 124 | 379 | 43 | 131 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 68 | 2 | 62 | 11 | 0.346 | 1609.1 |
| 1925 | DET | AL | 121 | 344 | 40 | 96 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 74 | 6 | 0.279 | 293.7 |
| 1926 | DET | AL | 66 | 174 | 20 | 53 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 45 | 6 | 0.305 | 597.9 |
| 1927 | DET | AL | 81 | 200 | 19 | 57 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 45 | 9 | 0.285 | 249.2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 756 | 0 | 2607 | 708 | 67 | 69 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | CLE | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1914 | CLE | C | 25 | 0 | 99 | 42 | 8 | 3 |
| 1914 | CLE | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914 | CLE | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921 | DET | C | 114 | 0 | 433 | 113 | 14 | 7 |
| 1922 | DET | C | 118 | 0 | 421 | 113 | 11 | 12 |
| 1923 | DET | C | 128 | 0 | 447 | 133 | 7 | 8 |
| 1924 | DET | C | 122 | 0 | 402 | 103 | 11 | 11 |
| 1925 | DET | C | 118 | 0 | 375 | 87 | 8 | 14 |
| 1926 | DET | C | 63 | 0 | 223 | 61 | 0 | 6 |
| 1927 | DET | C | 67 | 0 | 206 | 56 | 7 | 8 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 755 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
| 1924 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 22.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1923 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 17.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1922 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 13.0 | 64 | 0 |