Dave Thomas (baseball)

David Thomas (March 22, 1905 – July 27, 1968), nicknamed "Showboat", was an American first baseman in the Negro leagues from 1929 to 1946.

Dave Thomas
First baseman
Born: (1905-03-22)March 22, 1905
Mobile, Alabama
Died: July 27, 1968(1968-07-27) (aged 63)
Mobile, Alabama
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Negro league baseball debut
1929, for the Birmingham Black Barons
Last appearance
1946, for the New York Cubans
Teams

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Thomas is considered one of the greatest defensive first basemen in Negro leagues history.[1] In 1945 at age 40, he and Terris McDuffie were given a tryout by Branch Rickey and the Brooklyn Dodgers, two years prior to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the baseball color line.[2]

Thomas died in Mobile in 1968 at age 63.

References

edit
  1. ^ Dan Tylicki (November 11, 2011). "25 Greatest Showmen in MLB History". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  2. ^ Chris Lamb (April 14, 2015). "Two who tried out before Jackie Robinson". espn.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
edit