Don Thompson

Background

Thompson was born in Swepsonville, North Carolina.

Career

He was an outfielder for the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1949 to 1954. In 1943, he signed with the Boston Red Sox organization as a pitcher. He pitched in the minor leagues for a few years but then hurt his arm.

He converted into an outfielder, and in 1947 he hit.328 for the Class Doctorate Milford Red Sox.

Thompson made his Major League debut in 1949 for the Braves. After the season, he was traded to the Dodgers and spent 1950 with their top minor league club, the International League"s Montreal Royals.

He led the Royals in all three triple crown categories and was promoted to the Major League team in 1951. As a backup outfielder in 1951, Thompson hit just.229.

He had the lowest batting average and Office of Personnel Services of any Dodger player with over 100 at-bats, and Brooklyn lost the pennant by one game.

In 1952, Thompson returned to Montreal and batted.345. He was Brooklyn"s left fielder in 1953. His career highlight came in game 4 of that year"s World Series, when he threw out the New York Yankees" Billy Martin at home plate to end the game.

In 1954, Thompson hit just.040 in 34 games and was again sent down to Montreal.

He retired after the season. Thompson went into the automobile business after his baseball days were over and later became a real estate agent.

He was elected into the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame in 1997. Thompson died in 2009, at the age of 85.

Achievements

• He was the only British man to win a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics, in the 50 km walk. He also won a bronze medal at the 1962 European Championships, also for the 50 km walk. He came second in the 52½ miles London to Brighton road race in 1954, and then won the event in each of the following eight years. In the 50 km race, staged at temperatures of up to 87 °F, the front two competitors were disqualified, and Thompson beat John Ljunggren of Sweden by 17 seconds to win the gold medal in 4 hours 25 minutes 30 seconds. The only other British competitor to win a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics was Anita Lonsbrough, in the 200 m breaststroke. He won a bronze medal at the European Championships in 1962, and was tenth at the 1964 Summer Olympics, both in the 50 km walk.