Mike Thompson (thompmi01)

Michael Wayne Thompson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
• School Nebraska Wesleyan University, Oklahoma State University
• High School Ponca City High School
• Debut May 19, 1971
• Final Game September 5, 1975
• Born September 6, 1949 in Denver, CO USA
• Died October 9, 2022 in Denver, CO USA

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Biographical Information

Mike Thompson's professional career began in 1967, after he was drafted in the third round in that year's draft by the Washington Senators. He played for the Geneva Senators, going 2-5 with a 3.76 ERA in 10 games started. The following year, he played for the Salisbury Senators, going 7-13 with a 4.27 ERA in 29 games (23 games started). In 1969, he improved drastically, going 9-5 with a 2.09 ERA in 18 games for the Burlington Senators. The 1970 season was split between the Denver Bears and Pittsfield Senators, going 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA for the former and 5-9 with a 5.32 ERA for the latter.

He made his big league debut in 1971, on May 19th against the Baltimore Orioles. Although he allowed only one hit and one earned run in seven innings, he also walked nine batters and struck out only one. He earned the loss in his big league debut. It would be another 40 years before another pitcher, Brad Hand in 2011, would lose his debut while allowing only one hit over six innings or more. Overall, Thompson went 1-6 with a 4.86 ERA in 16 big league games (12 starts) in his first season. He allowed more walks than hits, surrendering 54 walks to 53 hits in 66 2/3 innings. He struck out only 41 batters. Thompson also spent time with the Denver Bears at the start of 1971, going 5-3 with a 4.20 ERA in 11 games (9 starts).

His 1972 season was spent with the Bears, and with them he went 6-8 with a 4.10 ERA in 20 games (18 starts). On March 31, 1973, he was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals as the player to be named later in a deal that originally occurred on February 1st of that year. The trade involved the Rangers receiving Charlie Hudson and a player to be named later (who would end up being Mike Nagy) in return for another player to be named later (Thompson). Thompson spent most of 1973 in the minors, with the Tulsa Oilers. With them, he went 7-7 with a 2.82 ERA in 20 games. However, he did make two starts in the big leagues, going 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in four innings of work.

In 1974, Thompson began the season with the Cardinals, going 0-3 with a 5.63 ERA with them. He was purchased by the Atlanta Braves on September 10th, and he went 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA in one game with the Braves. Overall, he walked 37 batters in 42 1/3 innings, while striking out only 27 batters. He also made 10 starts for the Oilers that year, going 5-4 with a 3.55 ERA.

For the Braves in 1975, he made 16 big league appearances, starting 10 of those games. He went 0-6 with a 4.70 ERA, and played his final big league game on September 5th. On April 7, 1976, he was traded by the Braves to the Cincinnati Reds for Terry Crowley. He played for the Indianapolis Indians in the Reds organization that year, going 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 21 games with them. On November 8th, he was traded to the Texas Rangers for minor leaguer Art DeFilippis. Thompson retired after 1976, with a career big league mark of 1-15, 4.86 and more walks than strikeouts.