Tommy Thomas (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Alphonse "Tommy" Thomas (December 23, 1899 — April 27, 1988), was an American
professional baseball
pitcher
who played in Major League Baseball
from 1926-1937. He would play for the Chicago White Sox
, Washington Senators
, Philadelphia Phillies
, St. Louis Browns
, and Boston Red Sox
. From 1926 through 1929 with the White Sox, Thomas finished in the top 10 in the American League
in earned run average
three times and in wins three times. In 1927 he led the American League with 36 games started
and tied for the American League lead with 307 2/3 innings pitched
, and in 1929 he led the league with 24 complete game
s. In 1926 he held opposing hitters to a .244 batting average
, leading all American League pitchers. In 1928, he finished 15th in the balloting for American League Most Valuable Player
.
The Baltimore, Maryland, native was also a pitching star and, later, the manager
of his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles
of the International League
. Thomas pitched for the Orioles from 1921 to 1925, winning 24 games in 1921 and 32 contests in 1925. Thomas had held out for a higher salary at the start of the 1925 season, and after the season Oriole owner Jack Dunn
sold him to the White Sox for a reported $15,000. He later returned briefly to Baltimore as a pitcher in 1935, and then as a pitcher-manager during the 1940s. He won 108 games and lost 56 (.659) as an Oriole pitcher, and counting his time with the Buffalo Bisons
from 1918 to 1920 has a career 138-85 (.613) record in the International League
. In ten seasons (1940–1949) as a manager, his Orioles posted a 638-734 record (.475) with three winning campaigns.
Thomas served as a scout for the Boston Red Sox from 1949 to 1973, except for a brief stint as general manager
of Boston's American Association
affiliate Minneapolis Millers
. He died in Dallastown, Pennsylvania
, at age 88.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 1926-1937. He would play for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. From 1926 through 1929 with the White Sox, Thomas finished in the top 10 in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
three times and in wins three times. In 1927 he led the American League with 36 games started
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
and tied for the American League lead with 307 2/3 innings pitched
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, and in 1929 he led the league with 24 complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s. In 1926 he held opposing hitters to a .244 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, leading all American League pitchers. In 1928, he finished 15th in the balloting for American League Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
The Baltimore, Maryland, native was also a pitching star and, later, the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. Thomas pitched for the Orioles from 1921 to 1925, winning 24 games in 1921 and 32 contests in 1925. Thomas had held out for a higher salary at the start of the 1925 season, and after the season Oriole owner Jack Dunn
Jack Dunn
John Joseph Dunn was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century who later went on to become a minor league baseball club owner....
sold him to the White Sox for a reported $15,000. He later returned briefly to Baltimore as a pitcher in 1935, and then as a pitcher-manager during the 1940s. He won 108 games and lost 56 (.659) as an Oriole pitcher, and counting his time with the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
from 1918 to 1920 has a career 138-85 (.613) record in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. In ten seasons (1940–1949) as a manager, his Orioles posted a 638-734 record (.475) with three winning campaigns.
Thomas served as a scout for the Boston Red Sox from 1949 to 1973, except for a brief stint as general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of Boston's American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
affiliate Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
. He died in Dallastown, Pennsylvania
Dallastown, Pennsylvania
Dallastown is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,049 at the 2010 census.-History:Dallastown was named after George M. Dallas of Philadelphia during the presidential campaign of 1844...
, at age 88.