From an early age it was very apparent that the Milwaukee, WI native was going to achieve a tremendous amount in his athletic career. At Milwaukee Pulaski High School, he became the first student-athlete in school history to start for both the football and baseball teams as a freshman. A three-sport letter winner in football, basketball and baseball, Travis was also a three-year team captain in two different sports. In baseball, he was a three-time all-conference performer who, as a sophomore, threw in front of over twenty scouts during a sectional final game.
After a successful high school career, Thompson set his sights on Madison Area Technical College and Coach Leo Kalinowski's baseball team.
In his first season at MATC, Thompson wasted no time making his mark on MATC Baseball. In that first season, the hard throwing righthander helped lead his team to its first ever national championship by winning two games at the national tournament. For his outstanding play, he earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series all-tournament honors. In addition to those honors, he also received all-conference and the team's most valuable pitcher honors as he led the team with six wins, 70 strikeouts, 62 innings pitched and an impressive 2.19 ERA.
With lofty expectations for the team and himself, Thompson entered his second season at MATC with confidence and determination. Thompson picked up where he left off during the prior season as he dominated opposing hitters, posting an 8-0 record and a stingy 1.50 ERA. MATC Baseball once again excelled making it back to the NJCAA Division III World Series. In the World Series, Thompson once again delivered. In the first game, Travis earned a victory as his arm continued to get stronger as the game progressed, pitching over 90 mph into the ninth inning. In the fourth game of the tournament, Thompson once again took the hill and proceeded to strike out fifteen batters on his way to a 2-0 win. Thompson's 22 total tournament strikeouts set a new NJCAA Division III record while his World Series record improved to 4-0 in two years. His big-time performances once again propelled his team to the summit of junior college baseball and gave MATC its second straight national title. All-in-all, Thompson struck out 94 batters in 66 innings pitched during his sophomore season. He earned many honors including all-conference, all-state, all-region and All-American honors for his outstanding pitching. His team also recognized him as the most valuable pitcher and co-most valuable player.
"Travis was a fierce competitor who wasn't afraid to pitch to anyone," commented former MATC Head Coach, Leo Kalinowski. "He pitched his best in the biggest of games. He definitely played an integral part of those two national championships."
When the dust finally settled on Travis Thompson's career at MATC, he cemented himself as the best pitcher in MATC Baseball history. His career totals of 14 wins and 164 strikeouts still stand atop the record books today. Additionally, his 128 innings pitched and his two-year 1.83 ERA are both still third all-time in MATC Baseball history.
Thompson who was scouted heavily during his second season at MATC was drafted in June 1996, on the first day of the Major League Draft, in the 12th round by the Colorado Rockies. For the next eight years, Thompson played for the Rockies. In 1999, while in Class A with the Salem Virginia Avalanche, he earned organization pitcher of the year, Rolaids Relief Man of the Year and was named a post-season all-star. At the end of the 144 game minor league season he was called up to the big league roster, along with teammate Juan Pierre, to finish out the remaining big league schedule. After playing in the Rockies minor league system for another four years, he signed a free agent contract with the Florida Marlins. Thompson was selected to play for Team USA in the Pan Am Games in Mexico in the spring of 2005. After two seasons with the Marlins, he retired from baseball and came back to Milwaukee.
After earning his Associates Degree, he fulfilled his second goal of becoming a police officer. Thompson has served as a police officer with the Grafton Police Department for the past three and a half years. In addition to his job at the police department, he has helped coach Little League and is currently the pitching coach at Greendale High School.
Thompson lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Audrey and their five year old daughter, Peighten.
