Tommy Thomas: Valdosta State University

Thomas was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2008.

Tommy Thomas established Valdosta State as a national Division II baseball power during a legendary career that spanned 40 years at the school.

The longtime coach, who also played at the school, retired in 2007 when he finished with 1,308 victories. At the time, Thomas was the winningest active coach in Division II baseball. He was surpassed by former Armstrong State coach Joe Roberts, also a member of the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame.

During his tenure, which included 25 years as a member of the Gulf South Conference, Thomas led Valdosta State to two GSC Championships and a 1979 National Championship. He ranks third all-time in the conference record books with 759 league wins, and he led VSU's baseball program to winning seasons in all but six of his 40 years at the helm.

In 2017, the school honored Thomas when they renamed the home facility Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park.

 "Tommy is a treasure for our university and our community," Valdosta State Athletic Director Herb Reinhard said. "His outstanding coaching career has been chronicled extensively and been recognized by his induction into four Hall of Fames. But what those of us that know Tommy realize is that he is an even better person than coach. Tommy will always be ‘Blazer Baseball’ and to add his name to that of Billy Grant on the facility is a fitting and well deserved tribute."
 
Thomas has been inducted into the Valdosta State Hall of Fame, the Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame, the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and most recently, into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Information from vstateblazers.com was used in this article.