Thornton Kipper

Thornton John Kipper

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
• School University of Wisconsin-Madison
• High School Bagley (WI) High School
• Debut June 7, 1953
• Final Game July 17, 1955
• Born September 27, 1928 in Bagley, WI USA
• Died March 29, 2006 in Scottsdale, AZ USA

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Biographical Information

Thornton Kipper was a pitcher in the 1940s and 1950s.

After one year (1946) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he joined the United States Navy and was honorably discharged in 1948. Returning to Madison, Kipper played on the team from 1949 to 1950. He was an All-American pitcher in 1950 with an 11-1 record and 5-0 in Big Ten play. He also won two games in the 1950 College World Series en route to the team's fourth-place finish. He graduated in 1951.

Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies after college, Kipper was called up to the majors in 1953. He also played with the Phillies in 1954 and 1955. He finished his baseball career in 1959 with the Lewiston Broncs, an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. After his playing career, Kipper worked in a paper mill in Lewiston, ID and served as a pitching coach at Lewis-Clark State College and Phoenix's Mountain Pointe High School.

Kipper's grandson, Jordan Kipper, threw a no-hitter for the Arkansas Travelers on May 17, 2016 against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.