Frosty Thomas

He played for the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League from 1903 to 1907, with a brief two-game major league stopover with the Detroit Tigers in May 1905. In 1903, Frosty lost 20 games for the Millers, but the following season he turned things around and had a 21–15 record in 329 innings.^[3] The 20-win season got him a shot with the Tigers. He pitched in two games for the Tigers on May 1, 1905, and May 6, 1905. In six innings, he gave up eight runs (five earned), and finished his major league career with a record of 0–1 and an earned run average (ERA) of 7.50. He went hitless in two major league at bats.^[1]

Thomas is often credited with inventing the “knuckleball”, having purportedly taught it to Eddie Cicotte in 1905, years before Cicotte popularized the pitch in 1908.

After being released by the Tigers, Frosty returned to Minneapolis where he was 12–11 in 1905, 18–15 in 1906, and 14–16 in 1907. He later played for the Montgomery Senators in the Southern Association (1908-1911), St. Paul Saints (1912), Sioux City Packers (1912), St. Joseph Drummers (1912, 1914-1915), and San Francisco Seals (1913). He compiled a 19–9 record with Montgomery in 1908.^[3]

Thomas was married in 1915 to Ruth Fenton Thomas, and they were married for more than 54 years. He attended Ensworth Medical School and the University of Minnesota Medical School. He lived for the last 43 years of his life in St. Joseph, Missouri, was employed on the staff of St. Joseph State Hospital for approximately 25 years, and served two terms as Buchanan County coroner. He died in St. Joseph in 1970 at age 88.^[2] He was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph.^[1]