Johnny Bassler

John Landis Bassler (June 3, 1895 – June 29, 1979) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in professional baseball for 26 seasons between 1911 and 1937, including nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Naps in 1913 and 1914 and the Detroit Tigers from 1921 to 1927. Bassler was one of the 1920s Tigers who benefited from the hitting instruction of Ty Cobb.

Bassler had a career batting average of .304 and an on-base percentage of .416 in his nine major league seasons. His on-base percentage ranks as the second highest in major league history for a catcher. His .346 batting average in 1924 was the highest by a catcher to that point in American League history and one of the highest by any major league catcher since 1912 (Joe Mauer in 2009 hit .365) He finished in the top seven in the voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award three straight years: sixth in 1922, seventh in 1923, and fifth in 1924. Baseball historian, Bill James, ranked Bassler 47th all-time among major league catchers in his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.

Bassler also played 15 seasons in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) with the Los Angeles Angels (1915–1917, 1919), Seattle Rainiers (1920), Hollywood Stars (1928–1935), and Seattle Indians (1936–1937). He appeared in 1,525 games in the PCL, compiling a .321 batting average in those games. In 1943, he was one of the inaugural inductees into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. After his playing career ended, Bassler lived in Southern California.

Bassler was born in 1895 in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania. He was one of 13 children born to a Mennonite family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His father Jacob Bassler (born 1866) was a Pennsylvania native who worked in a paper mill in 1900 and as a motorman on a street car in 1910. His mother Fianna Bassler (born 1868) was also a Pennsylvania native. By 1920, Bassler's family had moved to 2434 Bundy Drive in West Los Angeles, where his father was working as a motorman for the electric railroad.

Bassler began playing professional baseball in 1911 at age 15 for Sunbury in the Susquehanna League. He next played in 1912 for the York White Roses in the Tri-State League.

After completing the 1912 season in the Tri-State League, Bassler traveled to California to play winter league baseball. There he played on the same team as Cleveland Naps shortstop, Ivy Olson. Olson persuaded Bassler to join the Naps for spring training camp in 1913. Bassler made his major league debut for the Cleveland Naps on July 11, 1913, one month after his 18th birthday. He appeared in only one game for the Naps in 1913 – going hitless in two plate appearances and committing an error. In 1914, Bassler played in 43 games, 18 as the Naps' starting catcher. Though he compiled a .182 batting average he drew 15 bases on balls in 94 plate appearances to boost his on-base percentage to .323.

Bassler returned to West Coast and played for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League from 1915 to 1917 and again in 1919. He missed the 1918 season due to military service during the United States' participation in World War I.

In January 1921, the Los Angeles Angels traded Bassler to the Detroit Tigers for Oscar Stanage, two infielders, and a pitcher. The Tigers made the deal on the recommendation of Ty Cobb. Bassler played for the Tigers for seven years.