Frank Thompson
Catcher / Outfielder
Born: February 1852
Madeira, Portugal
Died: October 30, 1925(1925-10-30) (aged 73)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Batted: Unknown
Threw: Unknown
MLB debut
April 26, 1875, for the Washington Nationals
Last MLB appearance
September 11, 1875, for the Brooklyn Atlantics
MLB statistics
At bats46
Batting average.130
Runs batted in4
Teams

Frank Thompson (born Augustus Fernandez; February 1852 – October 30, 1925) was a Portuguese professional baseball player in the United States. He played during 1875 for two major-league teams of the National Association, the Washington Nationals as a catcher and the Brooklyn Atlantics as an outfielder.

Career

Thompson played in 11 games with the 1875 Washington Nationals as a catcher (also playing part of one game in the outfield), during which he had a batting average of .098 and committed 32 errors and 25 passed balls.[1][2]

In his lone game with the 1875 Brooklyn Atlantics, Thompson recorded two hits, a run scored, and a run batted in, but made two errors in two chances while playing right field.[1][3][4]

In 1877, Thompson played for Erie of the League Alliance.[1][3]

Personal life

Thompson was born as Augustus Fernandez in Madeira, Portugal.[5] He was the first major-league player known to have been born in Portugal,[2] and remained the only one born there until pitcher Isaiah Campbell made his debut for the Seattle Mariners in 2023.[6][7]

Thompson died in Brooklyn in October 1925 and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn.[8]

Research

In 2018, researchers determined that Frank Thompson, of the Atlantics, and a player previously identified as either Andrew Thompson or only by the surname "Thompson", of the Nationals, were actually the same player, who had been born in Madeira as "Augustus Fernandez."

While David Nemec identifies this player as the Andrew Thompson who managed the St. Paul Saints of the Union Association in 1884,[3] Paul Batesel states that they were two different people.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Batesel, Paul (6 October 2012). Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875. McFarland & Company. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-0-7864-9076-9. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 "First MLB player from Portugal". Chadwick Baseball Bureau. May 15, 2018. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Nemec, David (19 April 2012). The Rank and File of 19th Century Major League Baseball: Biographies of 1,084 Players, Owners, Managers and Umpires. McFarland & Company. pp. 6–7, 272, 280. ISBN 978-0-7864-9044-8. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Sports and Pastimes: Base Ball". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 13, 1875. p. 2. Retrieved November 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Frank Thompson". Retrosheet. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Green, PJ (8 July 2023). "Olathe native Isaiah Campbell makes historic MLB debut". WDAF-TV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Players by birthplace: Portugal Baseball Stats and Info". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "Augustus Fernandez". The Brooklyn Standard Union. October 31, 1925. p. 2. Retrieved November 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
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