Derrel Thomas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Derrel Thomas |
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Thomas in 1978
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| Infielder / Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 14, 1951 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 14, 1971, for the Houston Astros | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1985, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .249 | ||
| Home runs | 43 | ||
| Runs batted in | 370 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Derrel Osbon Thomas, born on January 14, 1951, is a former American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a second baseman and utility player. His career in the major leagues lasted from 1971 to 1985. Thomas was a key member of the 1981 World Series winning Los Angeles Dodgers team. He was known for his versatility, playing every defensive position except pitcher at least once. After his time in MLB, Thomas became a minor league manager.
Early Life and Baseball Start
Derrel Thomas grew up in Los Angeles, California. He went to Susan Miller Dorsey High School. This school was famous for producing many major-league baseball players. Some of these players included Sparky Anderson and Chili Davis.
In January 1969, the Houston Astros chose Thomas as the very first pick in the MLB draft. That year, he played 69 games for two teams in the Astros' minor league system. He had a great batting average of .302, which was his career high. By 1971, Thomas had made his debut in Major League Baseball. He played six games for the Astros that season.
Major League Career Highlights
Derrel Thomas's major league career lasted until 1985. During this time, he played for eight different teams. Most of these teams were located on the West Coast. One of his best seasons was in 1975. He played for the San Francisco Giants and hit for a .276 batting average. That year, he also achieved career highs with 48 runs batted in and 28 stolen bases.
Thomas was part of several trades during his career. On December 3, 1971, he was traded from the Astros to the San Diego Padres. This trade also involved Bill Greif and Mark Schaeffer going to the Padres. In return, the Astros received Dave Roberts. Later, on December 6, 1974, Thomas was traded from the Padres to the San Francisco Giants. In that deal, the Padres received Tito Fuentes and Butch Metzger.
Thomas was known for his energetic playing style. He always played hard and was a showman on the field. Some people in baseball found his style to be very intense. Dusty Baker, a teammate on the Dodgers, became good friends with Thomas. After the 1985 season, Derrel Thomas faced challenges that made it difficult for him to find another major-league team to sign with.
Life After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, Derrel Thomas continued to be involved in baseball. He briefly coached at Los Angeles City College. In 1987, he became the first manager of the Boise Hawks. At that time, the Hawks were an independent team in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League.
In June 1987, the Boise Hawks played against the Bend Bucks. The Bucks were managed by Mel Roberts. This game was a special moment in baseball history. It was the first time that two Black managers faced each other in a professional regular-season game outside of Negro league baseball.
Thomas was a manager for a short time. He was later managing a bar and coaching baseball at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California. As of 2009, Derrel Thomas was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He served as a representative for the Dodgers Legend Bureau.
