Detroit Tigers History: Sam Thompson Brought Out of Retirement
Sam Thompson was a star back in the 19th century. On this day in 1906, the Detroit Tigers, despite for players to fill out their roster, brought the legend out of retirement.
It took some time for Sam Thompson to get his start in baseball, as he played his first professional game at 24 years old. However, his talent was evident, as he came up to the majors just one year later. Thompson became a star with the Detroit Wolverines, and was part of the famed 1887 squad that featured the Big Four.
Thompson then moved on to the Phillies, where he continued to cement his case as one of the premier sluggers in the game. He led the National League in home runs twice, and in 1894, was part of the Phillies outfield where all three regulars batted over .400. However, his career was winding down, and after 1896, Thompson was no longer a regular. After two more season as a backup, he retired from the game.
After baseball, Thompson returned to Detroit, working in the federal courthouse. However, baseball was not quite done with the slugger just yet. A rash of injuries struck the Detroit Tigers in 1906, leaving them desperate to find healthy players to fill out the roster. On this day, they turned to the former star, signing Thompson to the roster.
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By this point, it had been eight years since Thompson was in the majors. At 46 years old, not much was expected of the former legend. After all, how well could anyone perform after eight years away from the game? Well, Thompson surpassed expectations, driving in two runs in his first game, with the Tigers taking a 5-1 victory.
Unfortunately, Thompson could not escape Father Time. he showed his rust in the rest of his stint with the Tigers, with just seven hits and five strikeouts in his 32 plate appearances. Thompson was able to leg out a triple though, becoming the oldest player in baseball history to hit a three bagger until Minnie Minoso did at 48 years old.
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Sam Thompson was one of the best players in the 19th century, and an icon in Detroit. On this day in 1906, he came out of retirement for a stint with the Detroit Tigers.