Tommy Thomas (baseball coach)

{{Short description|American baseball coach}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}

Tommy Thomas was the head coach of the Valdosta State University baseball team from 1967 to 2007,{{Cite web|url=https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/sports/tommy-thomas-announces-retirement-plans/article_63937646-0a7b-515d-a766-0bcbed4f6fd4.html|title = Tommy Thomas announces retirement plans}} leading the team to 34 winning seasons. He had a managerial record of 1,328-825-6, and headed the team to the national tournament eight times, Gulf South Conference titles in 1995 and 2002, division titles in 1983, 2001 and 2003 and a Division II national title in 1979. The 1979 national title was the school's first of any kind.[http://www.valdosta.edu/news/releases/homecoming.090507/ Valdosta.edu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404062834/http://www.valdosta.edu/news/releases/homecoming.090507/ |date=2012-04-04 }} He was the first and only Division II coach to reach 1,200 wins.

In 2016, Thomas was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-31 |title=Tommy Thomas Announced as National College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee |url=https://vstateblazers.com/news/2015/5/13/GEN_0513150752.aspx |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Valdosta State University Athletics |language=en}}

Major league baseball players Sam Bowen, Jason Bulger, and Scott MacRae all played under his tutelage.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/schools/valdostast.shtml Baseball Reference]