The Journal of San Diego History
Winter 1995, Volume 41, Number 1
Contents of This Issue
Pacific Coast League Padres ~ Index to Players ~ Hall of Famers
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Born: 8-31-17 Padres: 1942-44
Fireballing Frankie Dasso set the Pacific Coast League season
strikeout record when he whiffed 253 batters in 1944 while
registering a 20-19 record with the last place Padres. He played
two years for the Cincinnati Reds, but is remembered as a very
prominent pitcher in the Coast League with Hollywood, San
Francisco, and San Diego.
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[Frank Dasso interview by Bill Swank 28 February 1995
I was lucky to play ball in what was probably the most romantic period of the game. The Pacific Coast League was well run, well attended and the crowds were fervent. The PCL was more exciting than the big leagues. It was really baseball and we were even making more money.
Teddy [Williams] and I joined them [the Red Sox] at the same time. Joe Cronin had a funny idea about young players. He wanted guys like Lefty Grove and Jimmie Foxx. We had a falling out and I was ticketed to go, but I was happy to be in the PCL. I flew all night, got off the plane and pitched a one-hitter for Hollywood. You went where they sent you.
In 1944, we had only three or four pitchers. Chet Johnson broke his arm and I had to pitch a double header. I'd beat Seattle in nine innings, 5-2 and I was out running the next day. Detore [manager] told me that Rex Dilbeck had mono. He said, "I'd like you to go out there and go as far as you can." After fourteen innings, we beat them, 1-0. I pitched twenty-three innings in two days. We used to do that and it never hurt anybody. Of course, I'd get a bonus if I'd win twenty games and I'd pitch every day to get that bonus. It's not like today when guys go two innings and have to come out. Even though we came in last place that year, or damn near last, [it was last. -Ed.] we drew so many people [246,150] that Major Lott gave us all a bonus. And, I went 20-19 to get my bonus. We tried hard, but just had a little bad luck.
I hold the Coast League strikeout record and nobody has ever broken it. The closest anybody came was Sam Jones when he was with San Francisco and I think he came with in fifteen. I set that record before going to Cincinnati.
