Background
Thon was raised in Puerto Rico after spending only the first two weeks of his life in Indiana where his father had just completed a bachelor"s degree at the University of Notre Dame.
Thon was raised in Puerto Rico after spending only the first two weeks of his life in Indiana where his father had just completed a bachelor"s degree at the University of Notre Dame.
During his 15-year career, Thon spent two seasons with the Angels (1979–1980), seven seasons with the Houston Astros (1981–1987), one season with the San Diego Padres (1988), three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (1989–1991), one season with the Texas Rangers (1992), and finished his career with the Milwaukee Brewers (1993).
He was signed by the California Angels as an amateur free agent on November 23, 1975 while in high school in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Touted by some as a future Hall of Famer, his career was permanently altered on April 8, 1984, when he was hit in the face by Mike Torrez"s fastball. The pitch broke the orbital bone around his left eye and ended his 1984 season.
He returned in 1985, but suffered from problems with depth perception that permanently hampered his potential.