Don Thompson, baseball player, 1949-1954

Don Thompson

Born: 12/28/1923 in Swepsonville, NC, USA

Died: 9/28/2009 in Asheville, NC, USA

MLB Debut: 1949-04-24 | Final Game: 1954-06-22

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Donald Newlin Thompson

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Biography

Don Thompson was a professional baseball player born in 1923, who played in Major League Baseball from 1949 until 1954. He was primarily a position player, appearing in a total of 217 games during his career. Thompson's time in the majors came in the post-World War II era, a period marked by the re-establishment of baseball as America’s pastime and the gradual integration of the sport. Throughout his career, Thompson recorded 67 hits and registered a batting average of .218. He contributed to his teams with 19 RBIs and hit one home run, showcasing his role as a supporting player rather than a primary offensive force. Additionally, he demonstrated some speed on the bases, stealing four bases during his time in the league. Although he may not have achieved superstar status, Thompson's contributions to the game during the early 1950s reflect the dedication and grit of players from that era. He retired on June 22, 1954, leaving behind a legacy as a part of the rich tapestry of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
217 307 52 67 8 0 1 19 4 31 32 0.218 0.296 0.254 0.550 -952.5

Career AVG .218 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 16.8% below league average.

Career OBP .296 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — 12.2% below league average.

Career SLG .254 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 34.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.550 vs. league average 0.727 across their career seasons — 24.3% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1949 BSN NL 7 11 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.182 — — — — 0.0
1951 BRO NL 80 118 25 27 3 0 0 6 2 12 12 0.229 .260 (-12%) .336 (-9%) .385 (-34%) .721 (-22%) -460.5
1953 BRO NL 96 153 25 37 5 0 1 12 2 14 13 0.242 .264 (-8%) .335 (-8%) .397 (-26%) .733 (-18%) -492.0
1954 BRO NL 34 25 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 5 5 0.040 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1953 WS BRO 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 173 1 177 9 3 2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1949 BSN OF 2 0 4 0 1 0
1951 BRO OF 61 0 75 3 1 1
1953 BRO OF 81 0 84 5 1 1
1954 BRO OF 29 1 14 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 137
Center Field 17
Right Field 27