Milt Thompson (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milt Thompson |
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Thompson at the White House in 2009
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 5, 1959 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 1984, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 28, 1996, for the Colorado Rockies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Home runs | 47 | ||
| Runs batted in | 357 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Milton Bernard Thompson (born January 5, 1959) is an American former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder and pinch hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB). He also worked as a coach.
Thompson played for several teams during his career. These included the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Colorado Rockies. After playing, he became a coach. He worked as a minor league hitting instructor for the Cincinnati Reds in 2019. Throughout his MLB playing career, Thompson had a batting average of .274.
Contents
Playing in Major League Baseball
Early Career and the Phillies
The Atlanta Braves chose Milt Thompson in the 1979 draft. He had played baseball at Howard University. Five years later, in 1984, he played his first big league game. After two years with the Braves, he moved to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1986.
Thompson played well for the Phillies. He had good batting averages of .251, .302, and .288 in his three seasons there.
Time with the St. Louis Cardinals
In 1988, Thompson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He played there for four years. In 1991, he had his best batting average ever, hitting .307. After the 1992 season, Thompson became a free agent. He decided to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Return to the Phillies and the 1993 World Series
Thompson was a very important player for the Phillies in 1993. That year, the team surprised everyone by going from last place to winning the 1993 National League Championship Series. Thompson shared playing time in left field with Pete Incaviglia. They played in the 1993 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Fans loved Thompson, and he had another great season.
Thompson's Amazing Catch
One of Milt Thompson's most famous plays happened on April 29, 1993. The Phillies were playing the San Diego Padres. Thompson had already hit three singles and brought in two runs. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies were ahead 5-3. The Padres had the bases loaded with two outs. Their strong hitter, Bob Geren, came to the plate.
The Phillies' pitcher threw a fastball. Geren hit the ball far, over 370 feet towards the left-center field wall. Thompson, who was very fast, ran and jumped at just the right moment. He caught the ball over the wall, stopping what would have been a grand slam. This amazing catch ended the inning and saved the Phillies' lead. It was a highlight of their magical 1993 season.
Later Playing Career
In 1994, Thompson was traded from the Phillies to the Houston Astros. He became a free agent again after that season. He chose to sign with the Astros for another year. After the 1995 season, he became a free agent once more. He then signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1996, he was picked up by the Colorado Rockies. His time with the Rockies was short, and he retired from playing in August 1996.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Milt Thompson became a baseball coach. In 1997, he worked for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He helped minor league players with outfield and base-running. In 1998, he joined the Phillies as a minor league coach.
Major League Coaching with the Phillies
In 2004, Thompson became the first base coach for the major league Phillies team. The next year, he became the team's hitting coach. He stayed in this role for over five seasons. As the hitting coach, Thompson helped the Phillies win the World Series in 2008. This was his first World Series championship. He returned to the World Series with the Phillies in 2009, but they lost to the New York Yankees.
Thompson is one of only a few Phillies to go to the World Series as both a player and a coach for the team. In 2010, he left his role as the Phillies' hitting coach. He later coached for the Houston Astros and the Kansas City Royals' minor league team, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. In 2017, he joined the Reds organization as a minor league hitting instructor.
Personal Life
Milt Thompson has four daughters. He lives with his family in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
Fun Facts About Milt Thompson
- In the 1993 World Series, he hit .313 and had 6 RBI. He set a Phillies record with 5 RBI in one game.
- He went to Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School and Howard University.
- In high school, he played baseball, football, and ran track.
- He is famous for his amazing catches in left field, especially in the early 1990s. One of these was the incredible catch on April 29, 1993, which saved a grand slam.
Fun Facts About Milt Thompson
- In the 1993 World Series, he hit .313 and had 6 RBI. He also set a Phillies record with 5 RBI in one game during that series.
- He went to Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School and Howard University.
- In high school, he played baseball, football, and ran track.
- He is well-known for his amazing catches in left field, especially in the early 1990s. One of these was the grand slam-saving catch on April 29, 1993, which was mentioned earlier!
