Danny Thompson Has Some Sunshine for You

Maybe that's good news for the coming of Spring?

1976 Topps Danny Thompson (#111) - Card of the Day

When you first lay eyes on this Danny Thompson baseball card, you might think it just shows another day at the ballpark.

Another non-star player leaning on his bat, in the unremarkable sunshine of another forgettable baseball season. After all, the 76-83 Twins finished fourth in the old American League West in 1975.

And Thompson himself hit .270 in 112 games, mostly at shortstop. That was the second-highest mark in his six-year career to that point, and he entered his age-29 season (1976, that is) with a .252 batting average, 14 home runs, and 175 RBI.

Thompson’s defense was a bit uneven but he mostly held his own, at least.

Nothing to get really excited about. Nothing to be mad about, either.

But of course, baseball players are more than their numbers, more than their baseball cards. They all have stories, with triumph and tragedy woven all throughout.

And for all the glory that Thompson grabbed onto by virtue of being a professional baseball player, his diamond story is laced with a sadness, and an urgency, that most of his peers never had to deal with.

Because, the day before his 26th birthday in 1973, as he was preparing for Spring Training, Thompson took a routine physical. Only it turned out to be anything but routine days later when he was diagnosed with leukemia.

And so, after playing his first full season in 1972 and even garnering some down-ballot MVP support, Thompson had bigger fish to fry. But while he fried those fish — his treatment — he also kept his diamond dream alive.

Sure, he made it into only 99 games in 1973 and 97 in 1974. Given the circumstance, though, he actually made it into a whopping 99 games in 1973 and 97 in 1974.

And those 112 games in 1975 seem downright amazing in light of what you know about the man now, right? And that 1976 Topps card of his?

Yeah, that card shows a man going through a lot, but also doing what he can to stay in the sunshine of the game he loves. It’s a beautiful baseball card, especially in the proper context.

And it’s also Thompson’s last baseball card.

After hitting .234 through 34 games with the Twins in 1976, Thompson was shipped to the Rangers along with Bert Blyleven in exchange for Mike Cubbage, Jim Gideon, Bill Singer, Roy Smalley, and some cabbage.

In Texas, Thompson ran into Toby Harrah at shortstop and a young Roy Howell at third base. That spelled part-time duties for the former Twin, who tailed off to .214 in 64 games.

Thompson did get ‘hold of one on June 4, though, his only homer of the season and the 15th of his career. Also the last of his career.

When Thompson stepped on the field for the last time on October 2, it was as a pinch hitter for DH Howell in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game against the White Sox. Thompson struck out against Dave Hamilton.

No one could have known for sure what the winter would bring.

Thompson probably did know for sure that he was facing more treatments before pitchers and catcher reported again. And so he was.

Admitted to the Mayo clinic in mid-November, Thompson spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. Early December brought spleen surgery, and the recovery was tough.

Too tough.

Danny Thompson died less than two months shy of his 30th birthday on December 10, 1976.

Today…well, today would have been Thompson’s 77th birthday.

Grab a little sunshine in his honor if you get the chance. And if you don’t, steal a few rays from his 1976 Topps baseball card. Turns out, it’s a pretty remarkable piece of art.

—

That got a bit heavy. I think that’s enough words for today. There’ll be more tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.

—Adam