Jason Thompson (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Jason Thompson
position=First baseman
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1954|7|6
city-state|Hollywood|California
debutdate=April 23
debutyear=by|1976
debutteam=Detroit Tigers
finaldate=April 24
finalyear=by|1986
finalteam=Montreal Expos
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.261
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=208
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=782
teams=
* Detroit Tigers (by|1976-by|1980)
* California Angels (by|1980)
* Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1981-by|1985)
* Montreal Expos (by|1986)
highlights=
* 3x All-Star selection (1977, 1978, 1982)

Jason Dolph Thompson (born July 6, 1954 in Hollywood, California) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. In eleven seasons, Thompson played with the Detroit Tigers (1976-80), California Angels (1980), Pittsburgh Pirates (1981-85) and Montreal Expos (1986). He threw and batted left-handed.

Playing career

Thompson was a standout player at Cal-State Northridge and was selected in the fourth round by the Detroit Tigers and went directly to the big leagues in April 1976.

A three-time All-Star (1977, 1978, 1982), Thompson has been one of the few players in Major League history to have a 30 home run season in both the American and National League (31 with Detroit in 1977 and 31 for the Pirates in 1982). In 1982, he became the third player in Pirates history to reach the 100-RBI, 100-walk plateau, finishing 5th in the NL in OPS with a .902 mark. A steady first baseman, he also led each league in total chances in 1977 and 1984. In 1979, during a nationally-televised game against the California Angels, Thompson hit a foul ball completely out of Tiger Stadium off Angels right-hander Dave Frost.

During five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Thompson earned his nickname, "Roof Top" due to his ability to hit balls on to the top of the towering high right field roof. On two occasions he powered the ball over the roof and completely out of the stadium. Very few of the great players who played at Tiger Stadium ever achieved this feat.

Thompson was a career .261 hitter with 208 home runs and 782 RBIs in 1418 games.

Thompson currently operates a company (Jason Thompson Baseball) that offers baseball instruction in Auburn Hills, Michigan. [http://www.jasonthompsonbaseball.com/]

ee also

* Top 500 home run hitters of all time
* Montreal Expos all-time roster

External links

*baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=t/thompja01 |fangraphs=1013014 |cube=T/jason-thompson-1