Andre Thornton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andre Thornton |
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| First baseman / Designated hitter | |||
| Born: August 13, 1949 Tuskegee, Alabama, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 28, 1973, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 31, 1987, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .254 | ||
| Home runs | 253 | ||
| Runs batted in | 895 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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André Thornton (born August 13, 1949), also known as "Thunder", is a former American baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter. His career lasted from 1973 to 1987.
Thornton is best known for his time with the Cleveland Indians. While playing for them, he was chosen as an All-Star two times. He also won a Silver Slugger Award. Before joining the Indians, he played for the Chicago Cubs and the Montreal Expos.
In 1979, Thornton received the special Roberto Clemente Award. This award honors players who show great sportsmanship and help their community. After his baseball career, Thornton became a successful businessman. He owned restaurants and a sports marketing company. He was also a top leader for a supply chain management company.
In 2001, experts voted him one of the 100 greatest players in Cleveland Indians history. He was later inducted into the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame in 2007.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
André Thornton grew up in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. His family was very athletic. He graduated from Phoenixville Area High School.
In 1967, just before his 18th birthday, the Philadelphia Phillies signed him. This meant he started playing Minor League Baseball for them. He played in the Phillies' minor league system until 1972.
Later, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. Then, in 1973, the Braves traded him to the Chicago Cubs.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Starting with the Chicago Cubs
Thornton played his first major league game with the Cubs on July 28, 1973. He came into the game as a pinch hitter. He got his first hit on August 3. This was in a game against the Montreal Expos.
In 1974, he was named to the All-Rookie Team. This was a special honor for new players. In 1975, Thornton had one of his best seasons. He hit 18 home runs. He also had a high batting average of .293. He played for the Cubs until May 1976. During his time with the Cubs, he played in 271 games. He hit 30 home runs and had 122 RBIs.
Time with the Montreal Expos
On May 17, 1976, Thornton was traded to the Montreal Expos. He played in 69 games for them that season. He faced some injuries during 1976. Overall, he hit 11 home runs and had 38 RBIs that year.
Becoming a Cleveland Indian Star
Thornton was traded to the Cleveland Indians on December 10, 1976. This trade turned out to be very good for the Indians. Thornton played very well for Cleveland.
In 1977, his first year with the Indians, he hit 28 home runs. In 1978, he hit a career-high 33 home runs. He matched this number again in 1984. In 1979, he received the Roberto Clemente Award. This award is given to players who show great sportsmanship and help their community.
Thornton missed the entire 1980 season due to a serious knee injury. He also missed many games in 1981 because of other injuries.
From 1981 to 1984, Thornton mainly played as a designated hitter. In 1982, he hit 32 home runs. He also set career highs with 116 RBIs and 109 walks. From 1982 to 1986, Thornton stayed healthy. He played in about 140 games each season. During this time, he hit 121 home runs and had 446 RBIs.
In 1984, he won a Silver Slugger Award as a designated hitter. He played only as a designated hitter from 1985 to 1987. He retired after the 1987 season.
During his ten seasons with the Indians, Thornton played in 1225 games. He had a batting average of .254. He hit 214 home runs and had 749 RBIs. He was often one of the best players on a team that struggled to win.
Career Highlights and Stats
André Thornton was chosen as an American League All-Star twice. This happened in 1982 and 1984.
He finished his career with:
- 244 doubles
- 253 home runs
- A batting average of .254
- An on-base percentage of .360
- A slugging percentage of .452
For three seasons, he was among the top five players in his league for home runs. He was also in the top five for walks four times. Thornton ended his career with more walks (876) than strikeouts (851).
Life After Baseball
In 1977, André Thornton and his son, Andy, were in a car accident. This was a very difficult time for him. In 1983, he wrote a book called Triumph Born of Tragedy. The book shares his story and his Christian faith.
In 1979, Thornton married Gail Jones. She was a singer in a gospel group. They have two sons, Jonathan and Dean, in addition to André Jr.
Today, Thornton is a successful businessman. He is the president and CEO of ASW Global. This company handles supply chain management. It is based in Mogadore, Ohio.
The Roberto Clemente Award was given to Thornton in 1979. This award honors a player's sportsmanship and community work.
After his playing days, Thornton continued to help the Cleveland community. He served on many important boards. These included the Cleveland Council on World Affairs and the Cleveland Zoological Society. He also supported The First Tee of Cleveland. This program helps young people learn life skills through golf.
In August 2007, Thornton was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the "Top 100 Greatest Indians." A park in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was named Andre Thornton Park in his honor in 2010.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
