Former Philadelphia Phillies general manager Lee Thomas died Wednesday at his home in St. Louis. He was 86 years old.
Thomas was the Phillies’ GM from 1988-97, leading the club to the National League pennant in 1993, one year after finishing in last place.
“Lee was a great man and will be missed incredibly,” Phillies chairman emeritus Bill Giles said in a release. “I will never forget all the fun we had watching the 1993 Phillies National League championship team that he put together. Through his leadership, Lee has left an indelible mark on Phillies history.”
Thomas was a two-time All-Star as a player, spending eight seasons with the New York Yankees (1961), Los Angeles Angels (1961-64), Boston Red Sox (1964-65), Atlanta Braves (1966), Chicago Cubs (1966-67) and Houston Astros (1968). He hit 106 home runs in 1,027 career games.
Thomas worked in the St. Louis Cardinals’ front office before joining Philadelphia. He spent six seasons with the Red Sox as a special assistant to the general manager after his time in Philadelphia. He then served as a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers until 2006, and from 2011-18 was with the Baltimore Orioles as a special assistant.
Thomas is survived by his wife, Susie, and his sons Matthew, Scott, Deron and Daryl.
–Field Level Media