Kevin Bass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Bass |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 12, 1959 Redwood City, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1982, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1995, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .270 | ||
| Home runs | 118 | ||
| Runs batted in | 611 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kevin Charles Bass (born May 12, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons. Kevin Bass was known for his speed, strong defense, and ability to hit from both sides of the plate.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting in the Big Leagues
Kevin Bass was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1977 baseball draft. He made his first appearance in a major league game on April 9, 1982. Later that year, he was traded to the Houston Astros. He spent most of his first season playing for a minor league team, where he showed off his hitting skills.
Becoming an All-Star
In 1985, Kevin Bass became a regular player for the Houston Astros. He had a great season, hitting many doubles and home runs. His best year was 1986, when he was chosen to be an All-Star for the National League. He led the Astros with a high batting average of .311, hit 20 home runs, and stole 22 bases. He also played excellent defense. That year, the Astros almost made it to the World Series, but they lost a very close series to the New York Mets.
Special Moments with the Astros
On August 3, 1987, Kevin Bass did something special: he hit a home run from both the right side and the left side of the plate in the same game. This is rare for a switch hitter (a player who can bat both left-handed and right-handed). In 1989, he hit two grand slams. A grand slam is a home run hit when all three bases are loaded with runners, scoring four runs at once! One of his grand slams was a "walk-off" home run, meaning it won the game for his team in the final inning.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Astros, Kevin Bass signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1989. He played for them for a few seasons. In 1990, he had knee surgery but was able to return to play later that year. In 1992, he was traded to the New York Mets.
Finishing His Career
Kevin Bass returned to the Houston Astros in 1993 and played there for two more seasons. He had a strong batting average during the 1994 season, which was shorter than usual due to a player strike. His final season in MLB was in 1995, when he played for the Baltimore Orioles. He played his last game on October 1, 1995.
Career Numbers
Over his 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, Kevin Bass played in 1,571 games. He had a career batting average of .270. He hit 118 home runs and had 611 runs batted in (RBI), which means he helped score 611 runs for his team. He also stole 151 bases. He was a very good defensive player in the outfield, with a high fielding percentage of .982.
About Kevin Bass's Life
Kevin Bass was born in Redwood City, California. He went to Menlo School before starting his professional baseball career. His favorite team when he was growing up was the San Francisco Giants.
Baseball runs in his family! Two of Kevin's sons, Garrett and Justin, were also drafted by MLB teams in 2007. They both played in the minor leagues. Kevin Bass is also related to famous people outside of baseball. His cousin is James Lofton, a former professional American football player. His uncle, Stan Johnson, also played professional baseball.
See also
- Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
