Dave Thomas
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Dave Thomas was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for 6 teams, including the Birmingham Black Barons. In 518 career games, he hit .268 with 522 hits, 21 home runs, and 239 RBI. Dave Thomas was a 2-time All-Star. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 168 lb
- Died
- 7/27/1968 in Mobile, AL, USA
- Awards
- 2× All-Star
Full name: David Thomas
Negro Leagues (season totals). Additive Retrosheet-digitized totals for seasons not already in the logs above; they are not summed into the career line. No team/league breakdown is available, and coverage may be partial.
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 518 | 1,951 | 285 | 522 | 92 | 27 | 21 | 239 | 15 | 152 | 7 | .268 | .326 | .375 | .701 | -1,246 |
Career AVG .268 vs. league average .272 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .326 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .375 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .701 vs. league average .721 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | BBB | NNL | 82 | 293 | 44 | 75 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 39 | 3 | 22 | 1 | .256 | .289 (-12%) | .353 (-10%) | .415 (-5%) | .769 (-7%) | -394.6 |
| 1930 | BBB | NNL | 43 | 152 | 26 | 49 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 14 | 1 | .322 | .293 (+10%) | .354 (+9%) | .429 (+7%) | .784 (+8%) | 249.4 |
| 1930 | BBS | IND | 20 | 68 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .265 | .293 (-10%) | .354 (-8%) | .429 (-25%) | .784 (-17%) | 249.4 |
| 1931 | BBS | IND | 53 | 183 | 21 | 37 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 16 | 4 | .202 | .276 (-27%) | .338 (-19%) | .388 (-28%) | .726 (-24%) | -696.5 |
| 1932 | BBS | EWL | 42 | 162 | 13 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 0 | .241 | .275 (-12%) | .335 (-10%) | .391 (-29%) | .726 (-20%) | -499.8 |
| 1932 | NBY | IND | 19 | 74 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | .284 | .275 (+3%) | .335 (-2%) | .391 (+7%) | .726 (+3%) | -499.8 |
| 1933 | NBY | IND | 15 | 57 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .263 | .270 (-3%) | .329 (-2%) | .377 (-21%) | .707 (-12%) | -94.8 |
| 1934 | NBY | IND | 22 | 81 | 6 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | .296 | .278 (+7%) | .340 (+3%) | .392 (+10%) | .733 (+7%) | 95.0 |
| 1935 | NBY | IND | 7 | 28 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .321 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1935 | NYC | NN2 | 18 | 77 | 13 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 1 | .286 | .279 (+2%) | .342 (-4%) | .399 (+7%) | .742 (+2%) | 0.0 |
| 1936 | NYC | NN2 | 38 | 152 | 27 | 41 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 0 | .270 | .283 (-5%) | .349 (-9%) | .404 (-7%) | .753 (-8%) | -230.2 |
| 1938 | SEN | NN2 | 13 | 47 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | .255 | — | — | — | — | 77.6 |
| 1938 | BEG | NN2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 77.6 |
| 1942 | NYC | NN2 | 26 | 99 | 10 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | .232 | .253 (-8%) | .323 (-10%) | .349 (+4%) | .672 (-3%) | -84.7 |
| 1943 | NYC | NN2 | 29 | 121 | 26 | 39 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 11 | 0 | .322 | .255 (+26%) | .324 (+21%) | .346 (+26%) | .671 (+24%) | 470.5 |
| 1944 | NYC | NN2 | 24 | 101 | 17 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .277 | .261 (+6%) | .325 (-4%) | .357 (+16%) | .683 (+6%) | 74.1 |
| 1945 | NYC | NN2 | 20 | 73 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .219 | .260 (-16%) | .328 (-13%) | .354 (-7%) | .683 (-10%) | -127.3 |
| 1946 | NYC | NN2 | 46 | 181 | 29 | 54 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 9 | 0 | .298 | .256 (+16%) | .328 (+2%) | .358 (+6%) | .687 (+4%) | 83.6 |
| Career · 18 seasons | 518 | 1,951 | 285 | 522 | 92 | 27 | 21 | 239 | 15 | 152 | 7 | .268 | — | — | — | — | -1,250 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | BBB | NNL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17.18 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17.18 | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (190 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 77 | 298 | 60 | 94 | 7 | 30 | .315 |
| Away | 113 | 424 | 70 | 114 | 1 | 29 | .269 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-09-15 | NY6 | HOM | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-09-15 | NY6 | HOM | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-09-08 | NY6 | NW2 | W | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-09-04 | NY6 | NW2 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1946-09-03 | NY6 | BLG | W | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-09-01 | NY6 | PH5 | W | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-08-27 | NY6 | BLG | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-08-26 | NY6 | NW2 | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-08-23 | NY6 | NW2 | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946-08-11 | NY6 | BLG | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 479 | 478 | 4513 | 225 | 108 | 265 |
| OF | 41 | 40 | 70 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | BBB | 1B | 45 | 44 | 418 | 33 | 12 | 12 |
| 1929 | BBB | OF | 41 | 40 | 70 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1929 | BBB | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | BBB | 1B | 43 | 43 | 397 | 16 | 9 | 19 |
| 1930 | BBS | 1B | 20 | 20 | 185 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| 1931 | BBS | 1B | 53 | 53 | 509 | 18 | 18 | 41 |
| 1932 | BBS | 1B | 42 | 42 | 444 | 15 | 8 | 24 |
| 1932 | NBY | 1B | 19 | 19 | 180 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 1933 | NBY | 1B | 15 | 15 | 137 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 1934 | NBY | 1B | 22 | 22 | 203 | 13 | 4 | 10 |
| 1935 | NBY | 1B | 7 | 7 | 69 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 1935 | NYC | 1B | 18 | 18 | 152 | 15 | 4 | 12 |
| 1936 | NYC | 1B | 38 | 38 | 386 | 25 | 10 | 37 |
| 1938 | SEN | 1B | 13 | 13 | 108 | 11 | 1 | 4 |
| 1938 | BEG | 1B | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1942 | NYC | 1B | 26 | 26 | 222 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| 1943 | NYC | 1B | 29 | 29 | 267 | 8 | 2 | 18 |
| 1944 | NYC | 1B | 24 | 24 | 242 | 15 | 5 | 14 |
| 1945 | NYC | 1B | 20 | 20 | 187 | 13 | 4 | 7 |
| 1946 | NYC | 1B | 44 | 44 | 399 | 20 | 9 | 29 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 1 |
| First Base | 479 |
| Left Field | 32 |
| Center Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 6 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dave Thomas: the record in brief
Dave Thomas's record on this page is drawn from the season tables, which run from 1929 to 1946. Thomas played for the Birmingham Black Barons (1929 to 1930), the Baltimore Black Sox (1930 through 1932), the New York Black Yankees (1932 through 1935), the New York Cubans (1935 to 1946), the Washington Black Senators (1938), and the Baltimore Elite Giants (1938). Thomas, born on March 22, 1905, in Mobile, AL, USA, is listed as a first baseman and batted and threw left-handed. Thomas's listed size is 168 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. Thomas's death is recorded on July 27, 1968, in Mobile, AL, USA. Dave Thomas was the playing name; the full given name is David.
Thomas finished with 522 hits from 1,951 at bats in 518 games, which works out to .268, plus 21 home runs and 239 RBI. On-base and slugging figures of .326 and .375 give Thomas a career OPS of .701.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dave Thomas
- Was Dave Thomas a pitcher?
- No. Dave Thomas was a position player (First Baseman), though he did pitch in 1 career game.
- How many home runs did Dave Thomas hit?
- Dave Thomas hit 21 career home runs with 522 hits.
- What was Dave Thomas's career batting average?
- Dave Thomas batted .268 over his career, with 522 hits in 1,951 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dave Thomas have?
- Dave Thomas drove in 239 runs in his career.
- What was Dave Thomas's career ERA?
- Dave Thomas finished with a 17.18 career ERA, going 0-0 with 2 strikeouts.
- Is Dave Thomas in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dave Thomas has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.