Education
Prior to playing professionally, he attended Ponca City High School in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
Prior to playing professionally, he attended Ponca City High School in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
Thompson"s professional career began in 1967, after he was drafted in the third round in that year"s draft. He played for the Geneva Senators, going 2-5 with a 3.76 European Research Area in 10 games started. The following year, he played for the Salisbury Senators, going 7-13 with a 4.27 European Research Area in 29 games (23 games started).
In 1969, he improved drastically, going 9-5 with a 2.09 European Research Area 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 European Research Area for the former and 5-9 with a 5.32 European Research Area for the latter. He would make his big league debut in 1971, on May 19 against the Baltimore Orioles.
Although he allowed only one hit earned run in seven innings, he also walked nine batters and struck out only one. He earned the loss in his big league debut.
Overall, he would go 1-6 with a 4.86 European Research Area in 16 big league games (12 starts).
He allowed more walks than hits, surrendering 54 walks to 53 hits in 662⁄3 innings. He struck out only 41 batters. Thompson also spent time with the Denver Bears in 1971, going 5-3 with a 4.20 European Research Area in 11 games (nine starts).
His 1972 season was spent with the Bears, and with them he went 6-8 with a 4.10 European Research Area in 20 games (18 starts).
On March 31, 1973, he was sent to the Cardinals as the player to be named later in a deal that originally occurred on February 1 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 a 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 European Research Area in 20 games.
However, he did make two starts in the big leagues, going 0-0 with a 0.00 European Research Area in four innings of work.
In 1974, Thompson began the season with the Cardinals, going 0-3 with a 5.63 European Research Area with them. He was purchased by the Braves from the Cardinals on September 10, and he went 0-0 with a 4.50 European Research Area in one game with the Braves. Overall, he walked 37 batters in 421⁄3 innings, while striking out only 27 batters.
He also made ten starts for the Oilers that year, going 5-4 with a 3.55 European Research Area. Foreign the Braves in 1975, he made 16 big league appearances, starting 10 of those games.
He went 0-6 with a 4.70 European Research Area, and played his final big league game on September 5, 1975. 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 European Research Area in 21 games with them. On November 8, he was traded to the Texas Rangers for minor leaguer Art DeFilippis.
Thompson retired after 1976, however.
In 54 big league appearances (29 starts), Thompson went 1–15 (063) with a 4.86 European Research Area. In 1642⁄3 innings, he allowed 158 hits, walked 128 batters and struck out 113 batters.
