James Leroy Lee Thomas was a front-office manager and professional baseball player from the United States.
Thomas transformed the Philadelphia Phillies from a team with a losing record to the National League champions in 1993 during his tenure as general manager of the team from 1988 to 1997.Lee Thomas passed away on August 31, 2022, in his St. Louis, Missouri, home, according to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Lee Thomas (baseball) children: Meet Matthew, Scott, Deron and Daryl
Thomas had 4 children in his lifetime; Matthew, Scott, Deron, and Daryl are names.
He had two marriages. He married the former JoAnn Jansing in 1955; their marriage ended in divorce. He later wedded Susan Quigley in 1985.
Thomas became the bullpen coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970.
He was appointed manager of the Gulf Coast League’s Rookie-level GCL Red Birds in 1972.
Then, in 1973, Thomas was promoted to Class A and appointed manager of the California League’s Modesto Reds.
In 1975, Thomas started working with the Cardinals as a traveling secretary before becoming the head of player development in 1980.
He had a significant role in the St. Louis organization’s success in the early to mid-1980s when the team won the 1982 World Series and three National League pennants under manager Whitey Herzog.
