Frosty Thomas

Forrest "Frosty" Thomas (May 23, 1881 – March 18, 1970) was an American baseball right-handed pitcher and medical doctor. He played 13 seasons of professional baseball, including two games in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers in May 1905.

Early years Thomas was born in 1881 in Faucett, Missouri,

Thomas is often credited with inventing the “knuckleball”, having purportedly taught it to Eddie Cicotte in 1905, years before Cicotte popularized the pitch in 1908.

After being released by the Tigers, Frosty returned to Minneapolis where he was 12–11 in 1905, 18–15 in 1906, and 14–16 in 1907. He later played for the Montgomery Senators in the Southern Association (1908-1911), St. Paul Saints (1912), Sioux City Packers (1912), St. Joseph Drummers (1912, 1914-1915), and San Francisco Seals (1913). He compiled a 19–9 record with Montgomery in 1908.

Later years Thomas was married in 1915 to Ruth Fenton Thomas, and they were married for more than 54 years. He attended Ensworth Medical School and the University of Minnesota Medical School. He lived for the last 43 years of his life in St. Joseph, Missouri, was employed on the staff of St. Joseph State Hospital for approximately 25 years, and served two terms as Buchanan County coroner. He died in St. Joseph in 1970 at age 88. He was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph.