Shortstop John Bass has been the biggest slugger in baseball history thus far, and he's the current career leader in both triples (72) and home runs (17). He's a bit more of a cipher than most of the 1871 players. Here's what BR Bullpen says about him:
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John Bass was a successful slugger in 1871, the first year of the National Association. He led the league with 10 triples (in 22 games) and was only one home run away from leading the league, hitting three. His slugging percentage of .640 was third in the league and he led the league in at-bats per home run. He played only two games in 1872, and then did not come back until 1877 in the National League, appearing in only one game. Prior to the time of the National Association, Bass had been a shortstop with the Unions of Morrisania. He perhaps reminds one of another Bass, Randy Bass, who was also a top slugger. John Bass, however, was 5' 6", short even for his time, while Randy was 6' 1".
John Bass died around the age of 40. He was the first major leaguer to die in Colorado, followed three months later by baseball pioneer Asa Brainard. He died in 1888; earlier that year, he had applied to become a major league umpire.
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And Nemec:
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A Civil War veteran, John Bass played in the first National Association game, led the NA in triples in its initial season, and fell just one four-bagger short of tying from the home run crown. Moreover, his .640 slugging average was third in the loop. Prior to joining the 1871 Forest Citys, Bass had played shortstop for the Unions of Morrisania. We do not know why he played just two more games in the National Association or how he came to play one National League game for Hartford in 1877. At the time, he appears to have been living in Brooklyn and playing semipro ball there. In 1883 Bass served as a substitute umpire in the American Association until he resigned in early May. Five years later he became the first former major leaguer to die in the state of Colorado. Until recently his grave in Denver's Riverside Cemetery was unmarked.
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In my universe he's been a pretty awful defensive shortstop, but his hitting has been good enough to give him steady work. He's hitting .308 with Cincinnati this season, but prior to that he's never had an average above .278 for a full season. Nevertheless, he gets a lot of triples and leads Ross Barnes, second overall, by 20 at the moment. He had no home runs in 1871 but for each year from 1872-76 he's had three and has two so far this season, and this consistency makes him the career leader in that as well.
He was an above-average hitter for Cleveland in 1871, then joined Brooklyn and was a good hitter and bad fielder from 1872-75 for the Atlantics. Now he's been with Cincinnati since the start of the National League and he continues to hit well even though he probably should be moved to a position other than shortstop.