Dickie Thon - Definition and Overview

Richard William "Dickie" Thon (born June 20, 1958 in South Bend, Indiana) is a former Major League Baseball infielder. During his 15-year career, Thon spent two (2) seasons with the California Angels (1979-1980), seven (7) seasons with the Houston Astros (1981-1987), one (1) season with the San Diego Padres (1988), three (3) seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (1989-1991), one (1) season with the Texas Rangers (1992), and finished his career with the Milwaukee Brewers (1992).

In his early years, he was one of the leading offensive shortstops in baseball was considered by many baseball observers as a potential Hall of Famer. Sadly, his career was permanently altered on April 8, 1984, when he was hit in the face by a Mike Torrez fastball. The pitch broke the orbital bone around his left eye and ended his 1984 season. He returned in 1985, but suffered from blurred vision for several years afterward. Although he would later have moderately productive years, especially with the Phillies, he never put up numbers that approached his pre-beaning statistics.

Dickie Thon was a source of amusement for young baseball card collectors in the 1980s.