Temple University Athletics
Joe Thomas Inducted Into Marietta Athletics Hall of Fame
2.18.08 | Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 18, 2008
MARIETTA, OH - Temple pitching coach Joe Thomas was inducted into the Marietta College Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. A three-time All-American and 1997 graduate of MC, Thomas is in his first season as the Owls' pitching coach.
A native of Kenmore, NY, Thomas was a two-time Division III National Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997 at Marietta College. As a senior, he was 11-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 92.2 innings while batting .415 with 22 doubles and three home runs. A three-time All-American, he holds the school's single season record for doubles (22) and ranks in the top five in three career categories (second in doubles-57, third in batting average-.415, and fifth in hits-240).
During his time at Marietta, the Pioneers compiled a 171-33 record (.838), winning four straight Ohio Athletic Conference Championships and appearing in four straight NCAA Tournaments. Marietta also made a pair of Division III College World Series appearances in 1995 and 1996.
Following his playing career, Thomas was drafted in the 21st Round of the 1997 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He played two seasons in the Red Sox organization, going 12-5 with a 3.25 ERA with the Single-A Michigan Battle Cats in 1998. He was then traded mid-season to Minnesota along with two other players for a pair of major leaguers--Greg Swindell and Orlando Merced.
He finished the 1998 season with the Single-A Fort Wayne Wizards, going 3-3 with a 3.28 ERA, and moved to High-A in 2000 with the Fort Myers Miracle (7-2, 4.48 ERA). Thomas spent the early part of the 2001 season in the Cincinnati Reds organization before moving on to the Frontier League's Canton Crocodiles, setting a league record for winning percentage with a 9-0 record (1.32 ERA).
Thomas also played two seasons in the Northern League and was named to the Frontier League's All-Decade team in 2001. He has coached college baseball as an assistant at Marietta (2000), NYIT (2003), and Mercyhurst (2005-06) and was the pitching coach for the Frontier League's Kalamazoo Kings for two seasons (2006-07).
A graduate of Kenmore West High School (NY), Thomas has a bachelor of arts in communications from Marietta (1997) and a master's of education from Mercyhurst (2006). He resides in Philadelphia.
