Peter Thomson had a relatively short but outstanding baseball playing career in Manitoba. He started out with his hometown Miami senior team in 1945 as a 15 year old shortstop with good range in the field and speed on the bases while pitching occasionally. He became an outstanding pitcher after moving to Winnipeg and joining the CUAC Blues of the Winnipeg Senior League in 1953 while also playing several other positions. In the 1954 league semi-finals against Transcona Peter was the winning pitcher in all four CUAC victories. In 1955 he was the winning pitcher in the League all-star game but arm problems limited him to being primarily a position player in 1956-57. During this era he also played tournament ball for Miami and was a member of the Miami 1956-61 teams inducted in 2013 to the Hall of Fame. After the Winnipeg Senior League folded in 1958 Peter went on to a successful fastball career and later a slow pitch career while also helping to coach Little League and Senior teams to championships.
“Thank you, it is my pleasure to introduce Peter Thomson, into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame, I have known Peter for many years, both growing up a couple miles apart just south of Miami, I also had the opportunity in 1999 to introduce his brother who played a long time and had an outstanding career in Miami, Peters baseball career was well documented in the program so I will only elaborate briefly. Initially he played for Miami in the league in Carman where he played for a number of years. After he did his journalism school at Carelton University he moved back to Winnipeg in 1953, to work for the Winnipeg Free Press, at that time he played for the Winnipeg Seniors, Peter was a very successful pitcher for an number of years on occasion he would join the Miami team in tournaments. Peter considers the 1954 winning against Transcona in the semi-finals on the senior league as a baseball highlight of his career, in the series he pitched.
In the next game, he was leading 7-0 and Peter was tired, Peter made the motion to the bench that it was time to make a change, he waved with his left hand to say bring in a left hander. So that was the end of the series for the year even though they eventually won against St.Boniface, even though Peter was unable to play. The following two years he played for Winnipeg for the fastball league in Winnipeg, a team which was eventually inducted into the Manitoba Softball hall of fame, in 1960 he moved to Montreal, then to Ottawa then to Toronto as part of his journalist career, along the way he coached minor baseball . In the mid to late 70 he had very special experience he was executive assistant to two cabinet ministers in the government, in 1981 he returned to Winnipeg, in 1982-1983 he coached Legion 141 to two provincial champions, tonight we welcome Peter Thomson into the Hall of Fame.”
Peter Thomson Newspaper Article 1956
Peter Thomson Newspaper Article 1954
Peter Thomson Newspaper Article 1955
These articles were gathered from the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, Winnipeg Tribune Collection