The Billings Gazette
Sunday, March 30, 1958
page 19
FORMER PLAYER DIES IN KALISPELL
John Thompson Was in Series
Kalispell - John (Gus) Thompson, 80, possibly the last survivor of the first World Series played in 1903, died here Friday night from infirmities of old age.
Thompson played for Pittsburgh from 1903-1905 and came on for the Pirates to relieve Sam Leefer in the third inning of the seventh game of the first series against the Boston Red Sox.
The sports figure studied law at the University of Iowa from 1897-1901. In 1902 he pitched for Helena, in the Northwestern League when it included Butte, Spokane, and Seattle. At that time he was the highest paid player in the league, receiving $140 a month.
Thompson was puchased by the Pirates in 1903. He lost the series game 7-3 to Denton (Cy) Young of the Red Sox. After this Thompson returned to Montana and homesteaded in the Flathead Valley.
In 1904 he pitched again for Pittsburgh but developed arm trouble and was sold to St. Louis. The following year with St. Louis he beat Christy Mathewson and the Giants 2-0.
In 1907 Thompson was with Omaha of the Western League and played with Aberdeen, Wash., and Seattle of the Pacific Coast in 1908.
His professional career came to an end in 1910 when he was purchased by Detroit. Thompson and the Detroit staff couldn't come to an agreement on his contract so he retired.
Thompson operated a pool hall here until he retired from business several years ago. In 1953 he suffered a bitter disappointment when he was not invited to a reunion of the few remaining players of the first series game.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday morning and burial will be in Kalispell's Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Iola Thompson of Kalispell and his son, B. F. Thompson of Kellogg, Idaho.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, March 30, 1958
page 19
FORMER PLAYER DIES IN KALISPELL
John Thompson Was in Series
Kalispell - John (Gus) Thompson, 80, possibly the last survivor of the first World Series played in 1903, died here Friday night from infirmities of old age.
Thompson played for Pittsburgh from 1903-1905 and came on for the Pirates to relieve Sam Leefer in the third inning of the seventh game of the first series against the Boston Red Sox.
The sports figure studied law at the University of Iowa from 1897-1901. In 1902 he pitched for Helena, in the Northwestern League when it included Butte, Spokane, and Seattle. At that time he was the highest paid player in the league, receiving $140 a month.
Thompson was puchased by the Pirates in 1903. He lost the series game 7-3 to Denton (Cy) Young of the Red Sox. After this Thompson returned to Montana and homesteaded in the Flathead Valley.
In 1904 he pitched again for Pittsburgh but developed arm trouble and was sold to St. Louis. The following year with St. Louis he beat Christy Mathewson and the Giants 2-0.
In 1907 Thompson was with Omaha of the Western League and played with Aberdeen, Wash., and Seattle of the Pacific Coast in 1908.
His professional career came to an end in 1910 when he was purchased by Detroit. Thompson and the Detroit staff couldn't come to an agreement on his contract so he retired.
Thompson operated a pool hall here until he retired from business several years ago. In 1953 he suffered a bitter disappointment when he was not invited to a reunion of the few remaining players of the first series game.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday morning and burial will be in Kalispell's Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Iola Thompson of Kalispell and his son, B. F. Thompson of Kellogg, Idaho.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Billings Gazette
Sunday, March 30, 1958
page 19
FORMER PLAYER DIES IN KALISPELL
John Thompson Was in Series
Kalispell - John (Gus) Thompson, 80, possibly the last survivor of the first World Series played in 1903, died here Friday night from infirmities of old age.
Thompson played for Pittsburgh from 1903-1905 and came on for the Pirates to relieve Sam Leefer in the third inning of the seventh game of the first series against the Boston Red Sox.
The sports figure studied law at the University of Iowa from 1897-1901. In 1902 he pitched for Helena, in the Northwestern League when it included Butte, Spokane, and Seattle. At that time he was the highest paid player in the league, receiving $140 a month.
Thompson was puchased by the Pirates in 1903. He lost the series game 7-3 to Denton (Cy) Young of the Red Sox. After this Thompson returned to Montana and homesteaded in the Flathead Valley.
In 1904 he pitched again for Pittsburgh but developed arm trouble and was sold to St. Louis. The following year with St. Louis he beat Christy Mathewson and the Giants 2-0.
In 1907 Thompson was with Omaha of the Western League and played with Aberdeen, Wash., and Seattle of the Pacific Coast in 1908.
His professional career came to an end in 1910 when he was purchased by Detroit. Thompson and the Detroit staff couldn't come to an agreement on his contract so he retired.
Thompson operated a pool hall here until he retired from business several years ago. In 1953 he suffered a bitter disappointment when he was not invited to a reunion of the few remaining players of the first series game.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday morning and burial will be in Kalispell's Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Iola Thompson of Kalispell and his son, B. F. Thompson of Kellogg, Idaho.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, March 30, 1958
page 19
FORMER PLAYER DIES IN KALISPELL
John Thompson Was in Series
Kalispell - John (Gus) Thompson, 80, possibly the last survivor of the first World Series played in 1903, died here Friday night from infirmities of old age.
Thompson played for Pittsburgh from 1903-1905 and came on for the Pirates to relieve Sam Leefer in the third inning of the seventh game of the first series against the Boston Red Sox.
The sports figure studied law at the University of Iowa from 1897-1901. In 1902 he pitched for Helena, in the Northwestern League when it included Butte, Spokane, and Seattle. At that time he was the highest paid player in the league, receiving $140 a month.
Thompson was puchased by the Pirates in 1903. He lost the series game 7-3 to Denton (Cy) Young of the Red Sox. After this Thompson returned to Montana and homesteaded in the Flathead Valley.
In 1904 he pitched again for Pittsburgh but developed arm trouble and was sold to St. Louis. The following year with St. Louis he beat Christy Mathewson and the Giants 2-0.
In 1907 Thompson was with Omaha of the Western League and played with Aberdeen, Wash., and Seattle of the Pacific Coast in 1908.
His professional career came to an end in 1910 when he was purchased by Detroit. Thompson and the Detroit staff couldn't come to an agreement on his contract so he retired.
Thompson operated a pool hall here until he retired from business several years ago. In 1953 he suffered a bitter disappointment when he was not invited to a reunion of the few remaining players of the first series game.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday morning and burial will be in Kalispell's Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Iola Thompson of Kalispell and his son, B. F. Thompson of Kellogg, Idaho.
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