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'{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Dickie Thon |position=[[Shortstop]] |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1958|6|20}} |birth_place=[[South Bend, Indiana]] |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=May 22 |debutyear=1979 |debutteam=California Angels |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=October 3 |finalyear=1993 |finalteam=Milwaukee Brewers |statleague = MLB |stat1label=[[Batting average]] |stat1value=.264 |stat2label=[[Home run]]s |stat2value=71 |stat3label=[[Runs batted in]] |stat3value=435 |teams= *[[California Angels]] ({{mlby|1979}}–{{mlby|1980}}) *[[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|1981}}–{{mlby|1987}}) *[[San Diego Padres]] ({{mlby|1988}}) *[[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1991}}) *[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{mlby|1992}}) *[[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1993}}) |highlights= *[[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1983]]) *[[Silver Slugger Award]] (1983) }} '''Richard William "Dickie" Thon''' (born June 20, 1958) is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[shortstop]], who played for the [[California Angels]], [[Houston Astros]], [[San Diego Padres]], [[Philadelphia Phillies]], [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], and [[Milwaukee Brewers]] during his 15-year [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) career. == Early life == Thon was raised in Puerto Rico after spending only the first two weeks of his life in Indiana where his father had just completed a bachelor's degree at the [[University of Notre Dame]]. == Potential and beaning == Touted by some as a future Hall of Famer,<ref name="touted">{{cite book |title=The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract|publisher=Free Press |isbn=0-684-80697-5 |page=627 }}</ref> his career was permanently altered on April 8, 1984, when he was hit in the face by [[Mike Torrez]]'s fastball.<ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B04080HOU1984.htm]</ref> The pitch broke the orbital bone around his left eye and ended his 1984 season. He returned in 1985, but suffered from problems with depth perception that permanently hampered his potential.<ref name="Total Sports">{{cite book |author1=Pietrusza, David |author2=Matthew Silverman |author3=Gershman, Michael |title=Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia |publisher=Total Sports |location=New York |year=2000 |pages=1129–1130 |isbn=1-892129-34-5 |oclc= }}</ref> In 1991, Thon received the [[Tony Conigliaro Award]] in recognition of his recovery from this severe injury. == Personal life == Thon is a third-generation baseball player. He is the grandson of Freddie Thon Sr., a native Puerto Rican who played and managed in the Puerto Rican Baseball League during World War II. His father Freddie Thon Jr., who signed a major-league contract but injured his arm before reporting to training, played semi-pro baseball while finishing college at Notre Dame, and coached all of his sons throughout their Little League and teenage years. Dickie's brother Frankie Thon is also affiliated with major league baseball in both the U.S. and Puerto Rico having been a player, a manager and a current major-league scout, as well as the general manager of the [[Criollos de Caguas (baseball)|Criollos de Caguas]] in the Puerto Rican League. Thon's son, Dickie Joe Thon, was selected by the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] in the 5th round, 156th overall in the June 2010 baseball draft and played the 2016 season for the [[Dunedin Blue Jays]].<ref name="Baseball Reference">{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=thon--002ric |title=Baseball-Reference: Dickie Joe Thon |accessdate=2016-09-08}}</ref> Thon was inducted into the [[Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum]] Hall of Fame on September 13, 2003.<ref name="HHBM">{{cite web |url=http://www.hispanicbaseballmuseum.com/fme_thon.html |title=Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum |accessdate=2008-07-21}}</ref> ==See also== * [[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]] * [[List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=t/thondi01|brm=thon--001ric}} * [http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=12892 ''Prospectus Hit and RunI Saw 'em When, Part 2'', article by Jay Jaffe] {{NL SS Silver Slugger Award}} {{Tony Conigliaro Award}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Thon, Dickie}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Baseball players from Indiana]] [[Category:California Angels players]] [[Category:Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]] [[Category:Houston Astros players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Major League Baseball shortstops]] [[Category:Milwaukee Brewers players]] [[Category:Minor league baseball players]] [[Category:National League All-Stars]] [[Category:Sportspeople from South Bend, Indiana]] [[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]] [[Category:Puerto Rican baseball players]] [[Category:Salinas Angels players]] [[Category:Salt Lake City Gulls players]] [[Category:San Diego Padres players]] [[Category:Quad Cities Angels players]] [[Category:Texas Rangers players]] [[Category:Tucson Toros players]] [[Category:Silver Slugger Award winners]]'