hand ed ▁and ▁threw ▁right - hand ed ; ▁he ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁ ▁tall ▁and ▁. ▁ ▁Thompson ' s ▁pro ▁career ▁extended ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁seasons ▁( 1 9 4 7 – 6 2 ) ▁and ▁included ▁almost ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁games ▁in ▁the ▁minor ▁le agues . ▁During ▁his ▁fin est ▁big - le ague ▁season , ▁, ▁Thompson ▁was ▁the ▁Athletics ' ▁most - used ▁starting ▁catch er , ▁starting ▁in ▁ 6 3 ▁games ; ▁he ▁set ▁personal ▁best s ▁that ▁year ▁in ▁games ▁played ▁( 9 2 ), ▁hits ▁( 7 3 ), ▁runs ▁batt ed ▁in ▁( 2 7 ) ▁and ▁batt ing ▁average ▁(. 2 7 2 ). ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁playing ▁behind ▁regular ▁back stop ▁Hal ▁Smith , ▁Thompson ▁sl ug ged ▁seven ▁home ▁runs ▁in ▁ 8 1 ▁games , ▁but ▁his ▁average ▁decl ined ▁to ▁. 2 0 4 . ▁He ▁then ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 2 - player ▁trade ▁with ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁that ▁November . ▁Thompson ' s ▁ 1 2 3 ▁ML B ▁hits ▁included ▁ 2 4 ▁doubles , ▁two ▁tri ples ▁and ▁eight ▁home ▁runs . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁active ▁career , ▁Thompson ▁was ▁a ▁coach ▁for ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals ▁in ▁ ▁and ▁sc out ed ▁for ▁the ▁Card inals , ▁D od gers ▁and ▁Baltimore ▁Ori oles . ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Venez uel an ▁Professional ▁Baseball ▁League ▁statistics ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 2 4