A cumbersome, 6'2" 200-lb catcher, Thomas was one of Connie Mack's favorites and
was a member of four Athletics championship teams. Only in 1911 did Thomas catch
as many as 100 games.
(JK)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»October 10, 1908: In the World Series Opener, Ed Reulbach, coasting with a 5–1 lead, tires in the 7th. Brown is unable to stop the Tigers from taking a 6–5 lead in the last of the 8th. But the Cubs jump on reliever Ed Summers, a 24-game winner, for six straight hits and five runs in the 9th, and Brown gets the win 10–6. For umpire Bill Klem, it is the first of 15 World Series he will officiate. Detroit's Ira Thomas, batting for Charley O'Leary, hits the first World Series pinch hit when he singles in the 9th. There had been 12 previous pinch-hit attempts in World Series play, including the batter before Thomas.
»July 12, 1911: In the first inning of a 9–0 win over the Athletics at Detroit, Ty Cobb walks, then on consecutive pitches steals 2B, 3B, and home off lefty Harry Krause. Twice he beats perfect throws by C Ira Thomas. After Cobb reaches on a fielder's choice in the 3rd, Sam Crawford homers. In the 7th, Cobb walks, is bunted to 2B, and scores on a sacrifice fly, knocking the ball out of the hands of the new catcher Paddy Livingston.
»July 13, 1911: In the 9th against the A's, Ty Cobb breaks a 7–7 tie by scoring from first on a Jim Delahanty's single. Cobb runs through coach Hughie Jennings' frantic signal to hold up and using a fadeaway slide eludes the tag of the catcher Ira Thomas. Detroit wins 8–7 to stay in first place.
»November 1, 1922: Former A's C Ira Thomas buys the Shreveport club in the Texas League for $75,000. Other former players who own pieces of minor league clubs include Ty Cobb (Augusta), Eddie Collins (Baltimore), and George Stallings (Rochester).
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