Alford Thomas,1
born March 6th, 1926 in Osceola, AR,2
3
was a professional baseball player from 1949-1951 and a Negro league baseball player in 1949.
Biography
Thomas was the son of Amos Thomas and Minnie (nee Barrentine) Thomas.4 He grew up near Crawfordsville, AR.
Thomas was a small right handed pitcher.5 He may have played with the Chicago American Giants early in the 1949 season.6 7 In May, he briefly appeared with the Bridgeport Bees of the Colonial League, but was quickly released.8 9 He returned to Bridgeport in 1950 and went 3-1 with a 3.23 ERA before being sold in June to St. Hyacinthe of the Provincial League10 where he finished the year 5-6 with a 4.92 ERA. In 1951, Thomas was sent to the Kingston Colonials in the Canadian-American League, but appeared in only two games before he was released.11
Thomas died on June 3rd, 2001 in Chicago, IL.12
Excerpts
"Al Thomas, 22-year-old Bridgeport righthander who set a Colonial League mark in O. B. debut last July by committing three balks, broke his own record in the opener against Torrington when he balked four times while hurling the Bees to a 10-1 victory."13
Stats
Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
Biography
Thomas was the son of Amos Thomas and Minnie (nee Barrentine) Thomas.4 He grew up near Crawfordsville, AR.
Thomas was a small right handed pitcher.5 He may have played with the Chicago American Giants early in the 1949 season.6 7 In May, he briefly appeared with the Bridgeport Bees of the Colonial League, but was quickly released.8 9 He returned to Bridgeport in 1950 and went 3-1 with a 3.23 ERA before being sold in June to St. Hyacinthe of the Provincial League10 where he finished the year 5-6 with a 4.92 ERA. In 1951, Thomas was sent to the Kingston Colonials in the Canadian-American League, but appeared in only two games before he was released.11
Thomas died on June 3rd, 2001 in Chicago, IL.12
Excerpts
"Al Thomas, 22-year-old Bridgeport righthander who set a Colonial League mark in O. B. debut last July by committing three balks, broke his own record in the opener against Torrington when he balked four times while hurling the Bees to a 10-1 victory."13
Stats
Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
1
Thomas' first name was also often given as "Alfred."
2
Thomas WWII draft card. (Accessed at Fold3.com; transcribed as "Alfred Thomas.")
3
Thomas's The Sporting News contract card alternatively gives his birthplace as Crawfordsville, AR in 1929.
5
He was listed as 5 feet and 8 1/2 inches on his WWII draft card.
6
Indianapolis Recorder, 4/9/1949, p.11; Greenwood Commonwealth, 5/4/1949; The Jackson Sun, 5/10/1949;
7
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Negro Baseball Leagues notes that he played with the American Giants from 1944-1949.
8
Hartford Courant, 5/30/1949
10
Poughkeepsie Journal, 6/18/1950
11
Kingston Daily Freeman, 5/4/1951, p.12
13
The Sporting News, 5/17/1950, p.44