Charles Herbert Thomas (born November 22, 1876Gardner, Massachusetts – died August 19, 1968, inBiscayne Park, Florida) was the president of theChicago Cubs of theNational League from1914 through1916.
It was under Murphy's ownership that the Cubs won the franchise's only twoWorld Series titles, in1907 and1908.
After several years as Cubs owner, Murphy became a disliked figure among other owners in the National League, the press, and his players.[1]
A stenographer, Thomas joined theNew York Giants as assistant secretary in 1900. After Giants press agentCharles Murphy purchased the Cubs fromJim Hart in 1905, Thomas followed Murphy to Chicago and became Secretary of the Cubs.[2]
Thomas briefly resigned his position in 1909, after a storm of bad publicity connected to his divorce: Mrs. Thomas discovered her husband cavorting with another woman, a Mrs. Helen Loker, and alleged Thomas threatened to kill her if she went public with this fact. The divorce came through, and Thomas eventually married Mrs. Loker.[3] In 1914 Murphy appointed Thomas the club treasurer.[4]
Charles Murphy sold the Cubs toCharles Phelps Taft after the 1913 season. On March 18, 1914, Taft appointed Thomas President of the Cubs.[5] Other baseball owners objected to the appointment, alleging that Thomas was too close to the despised former owner, Murphy.[6] The club floundered under Taft on and off the field, partly because Taft always intended to sell the team, partly because the new Federal LeagueChicago Whales cut into the Cubs' business. At the end of 1915 Taft announced the sale of the Cubs to Whales ownerCharles Weeghman. Upon formal transfer of the team ownership (January 20, 1916) Thomas resigned as club president.[7]
After leaving the Cubs, Thomas stayed in baseball, first as an agent for Wilson Sporting Goods, then as secretary of the minor league Columbus (Ohio) Senators. In 1940 he was selling trailers in Columbus.[8]