Troy Shantz
A Corunna native with a lengthy pro baseball career is headed to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame this summer.
Philadelphia Phillies bench coach Rob Thomson has earned five World Series championship rings and represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics.
He’ll be joined by Jason Bay, Ryan Dempster and long-time executive Gord Ash at the June 15 ceremony in St. Marys, Ont.
“I am humbled and honoured to be inducted into Canada’s Baseball Hall of Fame,” Thomson said in a release.
“Growing up in Corunna Ontario, I would have never dreamt that such an honour would be bestowed onto me.”
Born in 1963, Thomson grew up on Lyndoch Street. He played with the Stratford Hillers in the early ‘80s before recruiters drew him to St. Clair Community College in Port Huron. A year later he transferred to the University of Kansas.
The catcher and third baseman represented Canada at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A year later he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, in the 32nd round.
In 1988, Thomson set his sights on managing and served as Detroit’s minor league coach for two seasons.
Two years later he joined the New York Yankees and spent the next 28 seasons in various roles including bench coach and third base coach, earning five World Series rings in the process.
Thomson made history when he led the Yankees for three games in 2008 during Joe Girardi’s absence. It was the first time since 1934 that a Canadian had managed a Major League team in regular season play.
Thompson joined the Philadelphia Phillies as bench coach in 2017.