George Thomas, the utility man who spent six seasons in a Boston Red Sox uniform and helped the club capture the 1967 American League pennant, died Friday at the age of 88.
The death was first reported by Minneapolis Star-Tribune sports columnist Patrick Reusse. Thomas was born in Minneapolis on Nov. 29, 1937.
After one year at the University of Minnesota, he signed a bonus contract with the Detroit Tigers in 1957. League rules at the time kept him on the big-league roster, and he made his debut that September.
Thomas later landed with the expansion Los Angeles Angels during their first season in 1961. In 79 games with Los Angeles that year, he batted .280 and hit 13 home runs.
A subsequent trade returned him to Detroit before the Red Sox acquired him following the 1965 campaign. He remained with Boston from 1966 to 1971, appearing in 222 games and posting a .264 batting average.
The 1967 season stood out as his most significant with the club. Boston, coming off a ninth-place finish, claimed its first American League pennant since 1946 and advanced to the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Thomas saw action in 65 games during the regular season, mostly in a reserve capacity. He recorded two plate appearances in the Fall Classic and went hitless.
Across 13 major-league seasons and 685 games, Thomas finished with a .255 batting average, a .316 on-base percentage and a .389 slugging percentage. He totaled 430 hits, 46 home runs and 202 RBIs.
He logged at least one game at every position except pitcher, giving managers a flexible piece they could deploy in multiple spots. That adaptability defined large stretches of his career.
Ray Birch, writing about Thomas in the Society for American Baseball Research’s book “The 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox: ‘Pandemonium on the Field,’” described his early days in Boston.
“In 1966, Thomas played in only 69 games for the Red Sox and batted .237. But he had a sense of humor that was appreciated in the Red Sox clubhouse, and was a versatile, hustling player, a quality that earned him esteem in the eyes of manager Billy Herman.”
Thomas closed out his playing days with a brief appearance for the Minnesota Twins in 1971 after the Red Sox released him. He then returned to the University of Minnesota as an assistant baseball coach.
He later took over as head coach of the Golden Gophers for three seasons from 1979 to 1981. His teams posted a 95-43 record, and the 1981 squad reached the NCAA tournament after claiming a Big Ten division title.
The university still presents the George Thomas Most Improved Player Award in his name. His route from college baseball in Minnesota through the majors and back to coaching at his alma mater completed a full circle that started in his hometown.
Thomas supplied depth and flexibility for the 1967 Red Sox as they made their unexpected run to the pennant. His willingness to fill whatever role was needed helped support a roster that reached the World Series for the first time in two decades.
The career numbers reflect steady production from a player who spent most of his time in part-time roles. The .264 mark he compiled in Boston showed consistent contributions across limited opportunities in those six seasons.
