Sam Thompson

Infobox MLB retired
name=Sam Thompson
position=Outfielder


bgcolor1=#263473
bgcolor2=#A50024
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
birthdate=March 5, 1860
city-state|Danville|Indiana
deathdate=death date and age|1922|11|7|1860|3|5
city-state|Detroit|Michigan
bats=Left
throws=Left
debutdate=July 2
debutyear=1885
debutteam=Detroit Wolverines
finaldate=September 10
finalyear=1906
finalteam=Detroit Tigers
stat1label=Batting average
stat2label=Home runs
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat1value=.331
stat2value=127
stat3value=1299
teams=
* Detroit Wolverines (1885-1888)
* Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies (1889-1898)
* Detroit Tigers (1906)
highlights=
* NL batting champion: 1887
* 2-time NL home run champion: 1889, 1895
* 2-time NL RBI champion: 1887, 1895
* 3-time NL hits leader
* 2-time NL doubles leader
hofdate=by|1974
hofmethod=Veteran's Committee

Samuel Luther Thompson (March 5, 1860 - November 7, 1922) was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" (6 feet 2 inches, and 200 pounds) was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement. His 1887 total of 166 RBIs stood as a Major League record for 34 years until Babe Ruth broke the record in by|1921. He was the only 19th-century player to drive in 150 or more runs and he did it twice. His .923 RBIs/Game is still a major league record, and he has the still-standing record of 61 RBIs in 1 month, which he accomplished in August 1895.

Born in Danville, Indiana, Thompson entered the National League in by|1885 with the Detroit Wolverines and played his first full season in by|1886. An outfielder, Thompson had his breakout season in by|1887 when he batted .372 with 118 runs, 203 hits, 11 home runs and 166 RBIs en route to leading the Wolverines to the National League pennant as well as a World Series victory of the St. Louis Browns of the then-major American Association (19th century). In 1888, the Wolverines finished the season in fifth place, lost so much money that the team was and the players sold off. Thompson was purchased by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in by|1890), for $5,000 cash. He would play for until by|1898.

Thompson enjoyed his most consistent years from 1889 until by|1896, only missing the 100 RBI plateau once (with 90, in by|1891) and 100 runs plateau once (with 99 in by|1894) while batting .407 in 1894 and leading the league in home runs in by|1889 and by|1895 (with 20 and 18 respectively). In 1889 he became the first Major League player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.Back problems brought a premature end to Thompson's career, limiting him to 3 games in 1897 and 14 in 1898. After the 1898 season, he left baseball for nearly a decade before briefly returning to play in 8 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1906, when he became one of oldest players to hit a triple . He retired with 1256 runs, 1299 RBIs, a .331 batting average, and 127 home runs which was at the time second only to Roger Connor.

Thompson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Thompson's great-great-grandson is Chris Thile, who has a song called "Big Sam Thompson" on his album "Not All Who Wander Are Lost".

Thompson hit for the cycle, playing for the Phillies, on August 17, 1894.

In by|1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson hit .407 despite missing a month with a finger injury which necessitated the amputation of a fingertip. As a team, the 1894 Phillies batted .349.

Legend has it that Thompson was working as a roofer when some friends invited him to come along with them and try out for the Detroit National League franchise.

ee also

* 1887 Detroit Wolverines season
* List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
* List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBIs
* Hitting for the cycle
* List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
* List of Major League Baseball batting champions
* List of Major League Baseball home run champions
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions

External links

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* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Thompson.Sam.Obit.html The Deadball Era]

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