Gorman Thomas

Lore & Background

With the Brewers, Thomas was one of the franchise's most popular players. He was a leading home run hitter in the late 1970s and early 1980s, though he hit for a low batting average and frequently struck out. Thomas had good fielding skills and his throwing arm was strong until shoulder surgery in 1984, after which he became a designated hitter until his retirement in 1986. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina.

His father, Gorman Sr, was a postal worker and a former minor league pitcher. Thomas was raised in nearby James Island. His family moved to Columbia, South Carolina where he attended Cardinal Newman High School through his junior year, playing on a state championship basketball team in 1968. He attended James Island High School his senior year.

In high school, Thomas earned 14 letters in four sports - baseball, football, basketball and track. He was selected in the first round (21st overall) of the 1969 Major League Baseball draft by the Seattle Pilots, becoming the first-ever draft pick in the history of the team.

Reader's Guide

Thomas played Class A baseball in the Milwaukee system with the Danville Warriors in 1971, leading the Midwest League in both home runs (31) and strikeouts (170). The next year with the Class AA San Antonio Brewers, Thomas led the Texas League in the same two categories, registering 26 home runs and 171 strikeouts in 135 games. He spent parts of 1973 and 1974 in the major leagues with the Brewers, but mostly played Class AAA baseball. With the Sacramento Solons in 1974, Thomas finished second in the league in home runs (51), third in RBI (122), fourth in walks (93), third in runs scored (117) and first in strikeouts (175).

He spent most of the next two years on the bench with the Brewers. Thomas played in Class AAA with the Spokane Indians for the entire 1977 season, batting .322 with 36 home runs and 114 RBI in 143 games. After the season, he was traded to the Texas Rangers as the player to be named later in an earlier trade for Ed Kirkpatrick. In February 1978, Rangers executive Dan O'Brien Sr. sold Thomas back to Milwaukee before he appeared in any games with the Rangers.

Becoming an everyday center fielder for the Brewers in 1978, Thomas batted .246 with 32 home runs and 86 RBI in 137 games. In 1979, he enjoyed his best MLB season, compiling career high numbers in home runs (45, first in the AL), RBI (123), runs scored (97), hits (136), doubles (29), walks (98), on-base percentage (.356), total bases (300), slugging percentage (.539) and OPS (.895). After the season, he finished seventh in MVP Award voting. In 1980, Thomas batted .239 with 38 home runs and 105 RBI while playing in all 162 games.

He finished second in the AL in home runs with 21 and was named to the AL All-Star Team in 1981, finishing eighth in MVP Award voting. In 1982, Thomas hit .245 with an AL-high 39 home runs (tying with Reggie Jackson), and recorded 112 RBI to help the Brewers win the American League East. The Brewers won the ALCS and faced the Cardinals in the World Series, losing in seven games. Thomas was dealt along with Jamie Easterly and Ernie Camacho from the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians for Rick Manning and Rick Waits on June 6, 1983.

After the 1983 season, Thomas expressed his desire for another trade. In 1983, he batted a combined .209 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI in 152 games with Milwaukee and Cleveland.

Did You Know?

• While with the Brewers, Thomas opened a bar in Milwaukee with pitcher Pete Vuckovich called 'Stormin' & Vuke's.'
• Thomas was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

Early Life and Draft History

Thomas was born on December 12, 1950, in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, Gorman Sr., was a postal worker and a former minor league pitcher. Raised initially on James Island, the family moved to Columbia, where Thomas attended Cardinal Newman High School through his junior year. There, he played on a state championship basketball team in 1968. He transferred to James Island High School for his senior year. In high school, he earned 14 letters across four sports: baseball, football, basketball, and track. He was selected in the first round (21st overall) of the 1969 Major League Baseball draft by the Seattle Pilots, becoming the first-ever draft pick in the team's history.

The Stormin' Gorman Era

Thomas played Class A baseball with the Danville Warriors in 1971, leading the Midwest League in home runs (31) and strikeouts (170). He spent parts of 1973 and 1974 in the majors but mostly played Class AAA, finishing second in the Pacific Coast League in home runs (51) in 1974. After playing all of 1977 with the Spokane Indians (.322 average, 36 home runs), he was briefly traded to the Texas Rangers as a player to be named later before being sold back to Milwaukee in February 1978 without appearing for Texas.

Becoming an everyday center fielder in 1978, Thomas batted .246 with 32 home runs and 86 RBI. His best season came in 1979, when he led the AL with 45 home runs, recorded 123 RBI, and finished seventh in MVP voting. Affectionately known as "Stormin' Gorman," he followed this with a .239 average and 38 home runs in 1980. In 1981, he was named to the AL All-Star Team and finished eighth in MVP voting.

In 1982, he hit an AL-high 39 home runs (tying Reggie Jackson) with 112 RBI, helping the Brewers win the American League East and reach the World Series, where they lost to the Cardinals in seven games.

Trade Controversy and Decline

On June 6, 1983, Thomas was traded from the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians along with Jamie Easterly and Ernie Camacho for Rick Manning and Rick Waits. The move angered Brewers fans, who flooded the team's switchboard with calls. His play had declined late in 1982, hitting .181 after September 1 and recording only four hits in 41 at-bats during the postseason. In 1983, he batted a combined .209 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI between Milwaukee and Cleveland. Despite this decline, Thomas had hit more home runs than any other AL player from 1978 to 1983 (197). Uncomfortable in Cleveland, he requested another trade after the season.

Final Years and Retirement

On December 7, 1983, Thomas was traded to the Seattle Mariners with Jack Perconte for Tony Bernazard. He played only 35 games in 1984 before undergoing season-ending rotator cuff surgery in June. In 1985, he assumed the designated hitter role and became the first Mariner to hit 30 home runs in a season (finishing with 32), earning The Sporting News AL Comeback Player of the Year award despite batting .215. However, he felt alienated from teammates and was excluded from a team highlight video at an anniversary party.

Executives attempted to trade him but found minimal interest due to his age and DH-only status. In 1986, under manager Dick Williams, his playing time decreased; after hitting .194 with 10 home runs in 57 games by late June, he was released. He turned down an offer from the Detroit Tigers but signed a short-term deal with the Brewers to serve as a designated hitter and pinch hitter before retiring after the 1986 season. His career totals were a .225 average, 268 home runs, and 782 RBI in 1,435 games.