Sam Thompson facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the Major League Baseball player. For other people with the same name, see Sam Thompson (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Sam Thompson

Right fielder

Born: March 5, 1860
Danville, Indiana, U.S.

Died: November 7, 1922 (aged 62)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Batted: Left

Threw: Left

debut

July 2, 1885, for the Detroit Wolverines

Last appearance

September 10, 1906, for the Detroit Tigers

MLB statistics

Batting average

.331

Home runs

126

Runs batted in

1,308

Teams

Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888)
Philadelphia Quakers / Phillies (1889–1898)
Detroit Tigers (1906)

Career highlights and awards

NL batting champion (1887)
2× NL home run leader (1889, 1895)
3× NL RBI leader (1887, 1894, 1895)
Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame

Baseball Hall of Fame

Induction

1974

Election Method

Veterans Committee

Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (born March 5, 1860 – died November 7, 1922) was a famous American baseball player. He played professionally from 1884 to 1898 and made a short comeback in 1906. Sam was a tall player for his time, standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall. He was known for his big mustache.

Sam played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898), and Detroit Tigers (1906). In 1974, he was honored by being added to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Thompson had a great career batting average of .331. He was one of the best players at getting runs batted in (RBIs) in baseball history. His ratio of RBIs to games played is still the highest in MLB history. In 1895, he averaged 1.44 RBIs per game. In 1887, he had 166 RBIs in only 127 games, which was a record until 1921. Sam also holds the record for the most RBIs in one month, with 61 in August 1894.

Sam Thompson was also known for his strong arm in the outfield. He ranks high in MLB history for double plays and assists from the outfield. He was also fast. In 1889, he was the first MLB player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season.

Sam Thompson's Early Life
Sam Thompson's Baseball Journey
Sam Thompson's Career Highlights
Sam Thompson's Family and Later Life
See also

Sam Thompson's Early Life

Sam Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children in his family. He went to school in Danville. As an adult, Sam worked as a carpenter. He and five of his brothers played baseball for a local team called the Danville Browns.

Sam Thompson's Baseball Journey

Starting in Minor Leagues

In July 1884, Sam Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24. He played for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout found "Big Sam" working on a roof. Sam wasn't sure about leaving his carpentry job, but he decided to try baseball. The league ended quickly, but Sam had a .391 batting average in just five games.

In 1885, Thompson joined the Indianapolis Hoosiers in the new Western League. He hit .321 in 30 games. He was offered more money by another team, but he stayed with Indianapolis because he had given his word. The Hoosiers were a very strong team that year.

Playing for the Detroit Wolverines

How Sam Joined Detroit

Samuel Luther "Sam" Thompson, 1887, Detroit Wolverines. Burdick Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art

In June 1885, the Western League stopped playing. Many teams rushed to sign the best players from the Indianapolis team, including Sam Thompson.

Sam later shared a funny story about how Detroit signed him. Detroit sent two people to Indianapolis to sign some players. They didn't get the players they wanted, but they did get the Hoosiers' manager and most of the starting team, including Sam. There was a rule that other teams could try to sign the players for 10 days.

To stop this, Detroit sent the players on a "fishing trip." The players boarded a ship and fished for a few days. After a while, they realized they were being kept at sea for 10 days! Sam said they were "prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners." They had good food and played poker. After 10 days, they were taken ashore and signed their contracts with Detroit.

First Seasons with the Wolverines (1885-1886)

Sam Thompson joined the Wolverines in July 1885. In his first at-bat, he got a hit. The Wolverines were in last place, but they won 12 of their next 13 games after Sam joined. He finished the season with a .303 batting average. Even though he only played half the season, he was among the league leaders in home runs and triples. He also showed off his strong arm with 24 outfield assists.

In 1886, the Wolverines added more star players. Sam had a great full season, hitting .310 with 101 runs and 89 RBIs. He also led the league in double plays from the outfield. The Wolverines had a great record but finished second in the league.

Amazing 1887 Season

1887 Detroit Wolverines -- Thompson 3rd from left in back row

Sam Thompson had an amazing year in 1887. He won the National League batting title with a .372 average. He also set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Sam led the league in hits, triples, and total bases. On May 7, 1887, he was the first player to hit two triples with the bases loaded in one game.

The 1887 Detroit Wolverines were a fantastic team. They had four future Hall of Fame players, including Sam. They won the National League championship. Then, they beat the St. Louis Browns in a 15-game World Series. Sam played great in the World Series, leading all hitters with a .362 average.

1888 Season and Team Changes

In 1888, Sam Thompson had a sore arm and played in only 56 games. His batting average dropped, and the team also struggled. The Wolverines finished in fifth place. Because of high salaries and lower ticket sales, the team stopped playing in October 1888. Their players were sold to other teams.

Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies

Joining the Phillies (1889-1892)

On October 16, 1888, the Philadelphia Quakers (later known as the Philadelphia Phillies) bought Sam Thompson for $5,000.

In his first year with Philadelphia, Sam hit .296 and led the National League with 20 home runs. He was also the first player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season. He stole 24 bases that year. Sam's batting average improved to .313 in 1890. He also led the league in hits and doubles. He continued to be a top player in RBIs and total bases. In 1891, he had a career-high 32 outfield assists.

Peak Years (1893-1895)

From 1893 to 1895, Sam Thompson played some of his best baseball for the Phillies. During these three years, he hit an amazing .390. He averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases each season. He did all this while striking out very few times.

In 1894, Sam was part of a very special outfield. All four Philadelphia outfielders, including Sam, hit over .400 that season! Even though Sam missed a month due to a finger injury, he still hit .407. He also had a career-high 28 triples and led the league with 147 RBIs. His average of 1.44 RBIs per game in 1894 is still an MLB record. He also hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.

In 1895, Sam hit .392 with 211 hits. He led the National League in slugging percentage, total bases, home runs, and RBIs. His average of 1.39 RBIs per game that year is the second highest in MLB history. He also had 31 outfield assists.

Later Phillies Years (1896-1898)

In 1896, at age 36, Sam Thompson played his last full season. His average dropped to .298, but he still had 100 RBIs. His throwing arm was still very strong. He led the league in outfield fielding percentage, assists, and double plays.

In 1897, Sam was hurt and played in only three games. In 1898, he started the season well, hitting .349. However, he decided to leave the team in May 1898 and go home to Detroit. This was likely due to homesickness and back pain.

Return with the Detroit Tigers

Thompson in 1908

In 1906, Sam Thompson made a brief return to Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers. He was 46 years old! The Tigers had injured outfielders, and Sam, who had been playing local baseball, offered to help.

In late August and early September 1906, he played right field for Detroit. People were excited to see him play again. In his first game back, he got a hit and two RBIs. In eight games, he had seven hits, four runs, and a triple. At 46, he became the oldest player to hit a triple in MLB history, a record he still holds.

Sam Thompson's Career Highlights

In his 15 seasons in Major League Baseball, Sam Thompson had a .331 batting average. He collected 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, and 1,305 RBIs. He also stole 232 bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Sam was one of the best at getting RBIs in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 is still the highest in MLB history. This is even higher than legends like Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. His 166 RBIs in 1887 was a record for many years. He also holds the record for most RBIs in a single month, with 61 in August 1894.

Before Babe Ruth, Sam Thompson was one of the top power hitters. His 126 career home runs were second only to Roger Connor at the end of the 1800s. In defense, Sam is still among the all-time leaders for double plays and assists from the outfield. He was known for throwing the ball to home plate on one bounce, which made it easier for catchers to handle.

Sam Thompson's Family and Later Life

Sam Thompson married Ida Morasha in 1888. They lived in Detroit and did not have children. After he stopped playing baseball, Sam invested in real estate and was financially comfortable. During World War I, he worked as a U.S. Deputy Marshall. He also worked in a courtroom in Detroit. He was well-known and liked in the federal building.

Sam Thompson passed away in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while working as an election inspector. His former manager, Bill Watkins, said Sam was "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." Many important people and regular citizens attended his funeral to honor him. Sam Thompson was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.