Melvin B. Bassi, 80, died Wednesday, May 2, 2007.
He was my baseball coach.
In his family's eyes, a life more full had never been lived, a career more accomplished had never been achieved and a man more loved by so many had never been seen.
The Great Depression tempered his youth. Following graduation from High School in 1944, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving two years in South Pacific Theater. Upon returning home, he attended Washington & Jefferson College and received a degree in economics, class of 1949. He went on to the University of Pittsburgh Law School and received his law degree in 1952.
At the time of his death, Mr. Bassi was the chief executive officer of a law firm and a bank, both of which he grew simultaneously from one-room offices and meager beginnings into multi-county prestigious businesses
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Bassi enjoyed athletics. He played football, baseball and basketball in high school, baseball in college and in 1955, he launched his vocation as a football official. For 16 years, he was a well-known high school and college official. In 1966, he began an 18-year managerial career in youth baseball. To this day, many of the players that he officiated or coached recall fond memories of their association.
I am one of those players…one of many…. He never forgot my name and was always there with a firm handshake and a ready smile…. and encouraging words. I don’t ever remember a foul or harsh word he ever said.
I umpired many of his grandsons games…….he never failed to seek me out to tell me what a good job I had done…whether I had or not….It was the example set by Mr. Bassi and my football coach Mr. Crawley that led me in to officiating.
I was at a meeting many years ago where he spoke…he said it was not enough for a man to show a boy the stars……you have to be willing to let him climb on your back to get there…….;
If you are a coach you need to understand that you are someone’s role model. And no one ever forgets his best coach. Hopefully if you do well…then one night a group of grown men will congregate, unsuccessfully blinking back tears and discuss in low and reverent tones the admiration and love they held for a man who was important in their lives as children.
My deepest sympathies go out to his loving family…….. and those of us related only in baseball. Today the world is less good. In my daily devotions I will struggle with the greater will.
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