34 Facts About Sam Thompson

Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906.

Sam Thompson played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines, Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers.

Sam Thompson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Defensively, Sam Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game.

Sam Thompson was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson.

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In July 1884, Sam Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League.

Sam Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try.

Sam Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885.

Sam Thompson was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month.

Sam Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit.

Sam Thompson recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery.

The Wolverines were in last place when Sam Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Sam Thompson took over in right field.

Sam Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with.

On May 7,1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game.

On October 16,1888, Sam Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers, for $5,000 cash.

Sam Thompson became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.

In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Sam Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs.

Sam Thompson ranked third in total bases in 1889,1890, and 1893, second in RBIs in 1892, and third in RBIs in 1890.

Sam Thompson tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891.

Sam Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand.

Sam Thompson continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league.

At age 36, Sam Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896.

Sam Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career.

In 1897, at age 37, Sam Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games.

However, Sam Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit.

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Late in the 1906 baseball season, Sam Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers.

At age 46, Sam Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams.

Sam Thompson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Sam Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history.

Sam Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.

Sam Thompson was one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth.

Sam Thompson was appointed a US Deputy Marshall during World War I and worked as the crier in the courtroom of US District Court Judge Arthur J Tuttle.

Sam Thompson was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.

Sam Thompson was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.