Jim Asbell

James Marion Asbell
(Big Train)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 195 lb.
• School Rice University, Tulane University
• Debut May 8, 1938
• Final Game October 2, 1938
• Born June 22, 1914 in Dallas, TX USA
• Died July 6, 1967 in San Mateo, CA USA

BR page BR Minors Page

Biographical Information

Texas native Jim Asbell spent six seasons in professional baseball from 1935 to 1940. Asbell spent one season in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs. He made his debut as an outfielder on May 8, 1938 and appeared in seventeen games with 33 at-bats and six hits (.182) and a fielding percentage of 1.000 in his age 24 season.

Jim spent five seasons in the minor leagues with ten different teams in seven different leagues. He broke into pro ball in 1935 with two clubs, hitting .309 for the Beckley Miners of the Class C Middle Atlantic League and followed that up with a .272 average for the Portsmouth Truckers of the Class B Piedmont League, for a season's average of .281 with 20 home runs. His best professional season came in 1937, when he hit .352 with 12 home runs in 138 games for the Knoxville Smokies of the Southern Association. Jim finished his career in 1940 with the New Orleans Pelicans (SA) and the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League, hitting for a combined .257 average. He left baseball at 26 with minor league career totals of 530 games and 1,873 at-bats with a .293 batting average that included 56 home runs.

After baseball, Asbell served in the United States Military during World War II. He lived in San Mateo, CA starting in 1949, working as the West Coast public relations manager for Container Corporation of America until 1963, when he formed his own real estate investment and insurance firm. Asbell died from a cerebral aneurysm on July 6, 1967 at the age of 53.

Related Sites

• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Jim Asbell