Tommy Wells (1968) - Hall of Fame - Murray State University Athletics

Tommy Wells

Induction:
1968

Tommy Wells – Baseball, 1956-1957 (Deceased)
Obituary from Idaho Mountain Times
Bio Page of Murray High School Hall of Fame

Part of the 1968 class to the Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame and a native of Murray, Kentucky, Tommy Wells died Oct. 24, 2020 at the age of 82.
Pitching ace for Murray State’s first Ohio Valley Conference Championship team in 1958, which happened to be the first season for legendary coach Johnny Reagan.
1958 season for Wells was dominant as he averaged 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings for a No. 5 ranking nationally.
At 19 years old, he had played two seasons at MSU when professional baseball came calling.
Signed a bonus contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was considered one of the top prospects in the organization in the summer of 1958.
Played four minor league seasons from 1959 to 1962 all in the Dodgers’ farm system.
In 1959, appeared in 162 innings with the Reno Dodgers in Class-A and posted an average of less than one hit given per inning (0.93) and he also struck out 94 batters. His earned run average was 4.06 in 28 starts. A workhorse, Wells posted 22 complete games.
In 1960, split time between Reno and Class AA Atlanta with a 9-3 record 16 starts.
Spent 1961 season with the Atlanta Crackers, but only made seven starts and was limited to 16 innings because of injuries.
In 1962, Wells was back in Class A with the Greenville Spinners, but injuries again limited him to only seven starts.
In four season of minor league baseball, Wells was 22-9 with an ERA of 3.67 in 343 innings. He had 210 strikeouts and walked 173 batters.
Was the first baseball player in program history to be inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame with football stars, Cecil "Slim" Kent, Norman McKenzie and Woodrow "Pedro" Simmons. This quartette in 1968 was the third class to the MSU hall.
Wells was a legendary athlete at Murray High School and was inducted into its hall of fame in 2018.
At MHS, was part of the Tigers' 1956 team that finished second at the Kentucky State Tournament and won the Kentucky State American Legion championship.
Was named All-State along with Tiger teammates Dick Stout, Nelson Shroat and Tommy Rushing, as they all came to Murray State together to play for Coach Reagan.