Ira Thomas
Born: 1/22/1881 in Ballston Spa, NY, USA
Died: 10/11/1958 in Philadelphia, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1906-05-18 | Final Game: 1915-06-18
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Ira Felix Thomas
Biography
Ira Thomas was a professional baseball player born in 1881, whose career spanned from 1906 to 1915. He played primarily as a position player and appeared in 484 games during his time in Major League Baseball. Known for his versatility on the field, Thomas accumulated 327 hits, including three home runs, and drove in 155 runs. His batting average stood at .242, and he showcased his speed on the bases with 20 stolen bases.
Playing during a transformative era in baseball, Thomas contributed to the game in a time when teams were beginning to embrace more strategic styles of play. His performance on the field reflected the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded approach that would define the sport in the following decades. While Thomas may not have been a superstar, his role as a reliable player helped pave the way for future generations in the evolving landscape of baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484 | 1352 | 124 | 327 | 46 | 17 | 3 | 155 | 20 | 82 | 104 | 0.242 | 0.296 | 0.308 | 0.604 | -1545.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | NYY | AL | 44 | 115 | 12 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 0.200 | -337.1 |
| 1907 | NYY | AL | 80 | 208 | 20 | 40 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 0.192 | -624.7 |
| 1908 | DET | AL | 40 | 101 | 6 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0.307 | 165.2 |
| 1909 | PHA | AL | 84 | 256 | 22 | 57 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 18 | 34 | 0.223 | -280.6 |
| 1910 | PHA | AL | 60 | 180 | 14 | 50 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 0.278 | 4.8 |
| 1911 | PHA | AL | 103 | 297 | 33 | 81 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 0.273 | -59.1 |
| 1912 | PHA | AL | 48 | 139 | 14 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0.216 | -471.9 |
| 1913 | PHA | AL | 22 | 53 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0.283 | 58.2 |
| 1914 | PHA | AL | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1915 | PHA | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0.214 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | WS | PHA | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.083 |
| 1910 | WS | PHA | 4 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0.250 |
| 1908 | WS | DET | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| C | 450 | 239 | 2129 | 576 | 83 | 42 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | NYA | C | 42 | 25 | 145 | 38 | 12 | 1 |
| 1907 | NYA | C | 61 | 53 | 257 | 90 | 17 | 7 |
| 1907 | NYA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1908 | DET | C | 29 | 26 | 124 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
| 1909 | PHA | C | 84 | 81 | 479 | 112 | 9 | 5 |
| 1910 | PHA | C | 60 | 54 | 324 | 86 | 14 | 8 |
| 1911 | PHA | C | 103 | 0 | 499 | 150 | 17 | 12 |
| 1912 | PHA | C | 48 | 0 | 207 | 58 | 8 | 5 |
| 1913 | PHA | C | 21 | 0 | 88 | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 1914 | PHA | C | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | PHA | C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 449 |
| First Base | 2 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C4 |
| 1911 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C1 |
| 1910 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C1 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 12.0 | 64 | 0 |