Bass was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1945. His father, Thomas Bass, was a physician, and his mother, Louise Bass, was a teacher. Bass attended Ypsilanti High School, where he participated in football, basketball, and track and field.
University of Michigan
Bass received a scholarship to the University of Michigan, enrolling in 1963, and playing on the Michigan Wolverines football team as a halfback from 1964 to 1966. As a junior, Bass started one game at quarterback and two games at right halfback for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team. As a senior, he started two games at left halfback and four games at right halfback for the 1966 Michigan team. Although listed as a halfback, Bass played principally on defense and was limited to five carries on offense for 13 rushing yards. He graduated from Michigan in 1967 with a bachelor of arts degree in education.
Professional football
Bass was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 12th round of the 1967 NFL Draft. Before the start of the 1967 NFL season, the Packers sold Bass to the Detroit Lions. Bass spent most of the 1967 season on the Lions' taxi squad, but was activated late in the season and appeared in the last two games on special teams. He spent the 1968 NFL season on the Lions' taxi squad. During his stint with the Lions, Bass had a small speaking part in the 1968 filmPaper Lion. In February 1969, Bass signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins. He spent the next seven seasons from as a cornerback with the Redskins, appearing in 104 consecutive games for the Redskins between 1969 and 1975. In seven seasons with the Redskins, Bass recorded 30 interceptions for 478 return yards and three touchdowns. He also recovered six fumbles and gained 105 yards on eight kickoff returns. He gave up only eight touchdown passes in his NFL career. In 1972, the Redskins defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the. The Redskins held the Cowboys to three points and limited Roger Staubach to 9 of 20 passing for 98 yards. The Redskins' cornerbacks, Bass and Pat Fischer, were credited with shutting down the Cowboys' wide receivers. The Redskins advanced to Super Bowl VII, where they lost to the Miami Dolphins, 14-7. Bass scored the only touchdown for the Redskins in Super Bowl VII, when he picked up Garo Yepremian's botched pass, following a blocked field goal, and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. In 1974, Bass was selected as a first-team All-NFC player by the Associated Press, United Press International, and Sporting News. In July 1976, Bass announced his retirement from football due to a neck injury the prior year that was re-injured during the 1976 pre-season. X-rays showed a change in the vertebra, and Bass said at the time he "didn't feel it necessary to take a chance." In 2002, Bass was named one of the 70 greatest Redskins players of all time.
Later years
After retiring from the NFL, Bass moved to the Freeport, Bahamas, where he was the owner and operator of Channel House Resort Club for 18 years. Bass returned to the United States in 1997, working as an academic counselor at the University of Florida. In 2002, Bass formed KimLou Global, LLC, a real estateconsulting firm. Bass and his wife, Rosita, had two daughters, Kimberly and Louise.
