The Kasberger Pipeline
Joe Kasberger was a talented multi-sport athlete born in The Dalles in 1896, the sixth of nine children.
Thanks to some monks passing through The Dalles, Kasberger enrolled at Mount Angel College in 1915. He played basketball, football, and baseball there for two years, then transferred to OAC in the fall of 1917, a twenty-one year-old freshman. He was an active student leader and quite the “big man on campus”. Joe lettered in baseball in 1920, 1921, and 1922. He also played football and basketball for the Beavers and was fraternity brother of Spec Keene and Slats Gill.
After graduating in Linus Pauling’s 1922 class (with a perfect “straight-A” average, incidentally), Joe returned to Mount Angel to coach, staying until the school tragically burned to the ground in the fall of 1926. Kasberger found other coaching jobs in Oregon over the next three years before enrolling at Columbia University in January 1930 to pursue a Master’s degree. Discovering that the program would take longer than he had planned, Joe abandoned his studies, and accepted the vacant football and baseball coaching positions at St. Benedict’s Prep, a catholic high school in New Jersey for the 1930 season. He stayed until he became ill in 1968, dying of cancer in 1969. In the process, he became one of the greatest coaches in New Jersey high school history, posting a 200-65-15 record in football, and 593-137-3 in baseball. His baseball teams once won 64 consecutive games over a four-year period
So where does that leave OSU? As it turns out, there was always a part of Kasberger that remained an Oregonian. He coached many great athletes over the years that he encouraged to head west to Oregon for college. More than a few of them came to Corvallis. For baseball, the prizes were John Thomas and Bobby Buob, who were both key components of Oregon State’s 1952 College World Series Team. Preceding those two was Joe Hellberg who played for the Beavers in 1947.
John Thomas was also a talented football player, one of several St Benedict’s players to take to the football field for the Beavers. Oregon State wasn’t the only regional school to benefit, as Kasberger also sent players to his old friend Spec Keene at Willamette University.
For more information about Kasberger, see: Joe K. : a biography of Joe Kasberger, by Dennis A. Joyce (1998).
Paul Andresen: 2/13/2007
October 1st, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I played football and baseball under Joe K. from 1944 through 1947 at St. Benedict’s Prep. Some of my teammates were Billy Conn, Sam Cavallaro, Dick Haesler. Joe K. was a wonderful man who was tough but fair. I have many wonderful memories of him. I’m glad I found this site.
December 29th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
The Joe K biography is a must read for any coach or aficionado of football, basketball, or sports history. Joe Kasberger was a great builder of men. His records in both sports set the standards for excellence in New Jersey scholastic ranks. Joe K came to NJ for one year and decided to stay for 30+ years. Thanks to Dennis Joyce, the life of this coaching pioneer will live forever.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Chic Hess is most kind. His biography on Prof Blood is a must read for Joe K fans. Before there was Joe K at St Benedict’s in 1930, there was basketball hall of fame coach Prof Blood whose Passaic HS, NJ teams had winning streak of 159 games before departing for St Benedict’s in 1928. Joe K was quite a basketball coach at Mt Angel College in Oregon but in Newark he never got a chance to coach hoops with Prof on board. Prof & Joe K may have bonded at 1932 Olympics in LA. They would be friends and colleagues until Prof’s retirement in 1952. My Joe K research led to great stories from old timers who knew both men. St Benedict’s was blessed by their tenure.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:58 am
When through the years people have asked me, relative to my early training in sports, where do you come from, my stock reply has always ben: “I’m from Kasberger Country,” and I’d then proceed to explain.
This article gives any and all of us, that fit the description, all the more reason to take pride that we are from “Kasberger Country.”
January 16th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Note that typo “ben” rather than “been” in John Allen’s comments is my error in transcribing text from his cover letter that transmitted this story to those without email. John also asked that I emphasize fact that despite nearly 4 decades in Newark, Joe K remained an Oregonian who returned after every school year to his home at 917 West 10th St in The Dalles for the summer vacation.
Joe K fans may want to visit www.osualum.com for excellent tribute to another protege, John Thomas: “Up Close Personal: In Memory of John Thomas (1929-1997),” by Kip Carlson & George P. Edmonston, Jr. There appears to have been a reunion of 1952 College World Series Baseball team. Thomas & Bob Buob’s names appear but not Art Charette’s. These men played on Joe K’s 64 game baseball win streak teams at St. Benedict’s for from 1947-50. Charette’s name appears in OSU Pacific Coast Conference records for football but I have been unable to locate him. Any help would be appreciated since there are conflicting accounts as to whether he is dead or alive.
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Joe Kasberger was a great builder of men. His records in both sports set the standards for excellence in New Jersey scholastic ranks. Joe K came to NJ for guide one year and decided to stay for 30+ years.
August 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I’m proud to say that my children are living the legacy of Joe Kasberger. My eldest son attends St. Prep now as a senior and continues in the baseball tradition. While both my youngest and eldest played and continue to play little league baseball on the Kasberger Field named to honor him in NJ. What a great role model to so many.