Sam Thompson
From BR Bullpen
Samuel Luther Thompson (Big Sam)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 207 lb.
- Debut July 2, 1885
- Final Game September 10, 1906
- Born March 5, 1860 in Danville, IN USA
- Died November 7, 1922 in Detroit, MI USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1974
[edit] Biographical Information
"On a frequency (per at-bat) basis, Sam Thompson led all nineteenth-century hitters in home runs. . . After 1893, when the pitching distance was increased . . . (Thompson} capitalized on the new pitching distance more than any other batter . . ." - from the book The King of Swat
Hall of Famer Sam Thompson is perhaps best known as one of the trio of outfielders on the 1894 Philadelphia Phillies who all hit .400. The others were Ed Delahanty and Billy Hamilton. Thompson was by far the oldest, having started his major league career with the 1885 Detroit Wolverines. The Wolverines in 1887 won the pennant and the post-season play, featuring "The Big Four" (Dan Brouthers, Jack Rowe, Hardy Richardson, and Deacon White), along with Thompson, who had the highest batting average in the league.
Thompson stopped playing as a regular after 1896, appearing only sparingly in 1897 and 1898. However, he came back at age 46 for 8 games with the 1906 Detroit Tigers, a team which also featured the 19-year-old Ty Cobb and the 26-year-old Sam Crawford.
After baseball Thompson worked as a "crier" in Federal Court and died when he had a heart attack while working as an election inspector.
Inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, he still holds the all-time record of .923 RBI's per game.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL Batting Average Leader (1887)
- 2-time NL Slugging Percentage Leader (1887 & 1895)
- 2-time NL At Bats Leader (1887 & 1893)
- 3-time NL Hits Leader (1887, 1890 & 1893)
- 2-time NL Total Bases Leader (1887 & 1895)
- 2-time NL Doubles Leader (1890 & 1893)
- NL Triples Leader (1887)
- 2-times NL Home Runs Leader (1889 & 1895)
- 2-time NL RBI Leader (1887 & 1895)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1889)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 8 (1887, 1889, 1890 & 1892-1896)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 10 (1886, 1887 & 1889-1996)
- 200 Hits Seasons: 3 (1887, 1893 & 1895)
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1974
