Padres Give Dickie Thon a New Chance With a One-Year Contract

Free-agent infielder Dickie Thon, whose vision has been impaired since he was beaned in 1984, was signed by the Padres to a one-year contract Thursday, said Chub Feeney, club president. Terms were not disclosed.

Thon, 29, was placed on the disqualified list last July 3 by the Houston Astros after he spent much of the season on the disabled list because of vision problems in his left eye. In April 1984, Thon was struck by a pitch from the Mets’ Mike Torrez. The ball skipped off the ear flap of Thon’s helmet and hit him just above the left eye.

The blow caused a fracture of the inferior orbital rim near Thon’s left temple and caused him to miss the remainder of the 1984 season. He has been disabled three times since with vision problems stemming from the injury.

“We’re frankly hoping that his eyesight will come around and he’ll be a whole ballplayer again,” Feeney said. “Dickie Thon, before he got hurt three or four years ago, was probably the best shortstop in our league. We feel that he is still young.”

Thon, who played shortstop for the Astros the past seven years, had his best season in 1983, when he was named to the National League All-Star team and led the league in game-winning RBIs with 18.

He is currently working out in Puerto Rico and is expected to join the Padres in Yuma, Ariz., next Wednesday.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Cal Poly Pomona’s Max Hardy and Chris Butterfield hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning for a 6-4 lead, and Pomona held off visiting University of San Diego, 9-8, in a nonconference game called after 7 1/2 innings because of darkness.

For USD (3-6), Chuck Graham, Sean Baron, Rick Doane and Parris Sorrianello all had doubles. Pomona (7-3) overcame four errors. Hardy’s homer came with a runner on and gave Pomona a 5-4 lead.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Tracy Kehr, Pam Harnack and Michelle Flaska were the big hitters as UCSD swept a doubleheader at Southern California College, 14-2 and 5-0.

UCSD (2-2) had 15 hits in the first game. Kehr was 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs, and Harnack was 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs for UCSD (2-2). Patty Hurtt (1-1) earned the victory.

Stacy Sasaki (1-1) went the distance to pick up the victory in the second game. Flaska had a 3-run double in the fifth inning.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Former Aztec Penny Toler scored 37 points as Cal State Long Beach defeated San Diego State University, 96-76, in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game.

The victory keeps Long Beach (15-5) in first place with a perfect 12-0 conference record. SDSU, which falls to third behind Nevada-Las Vegas, is now 18-6 and 10-4.

Long Beach, which led, 38-36, at halftime, pulled away early in the second half with a 12-2 run.

Jessica Haynes and Chana Perry each had 18 points for SDSU. Brooke Meadows added 16 and Stephanie Lamar 12. SDSU had 32 turnovers.

Paula Mascari scored 14 points, Christi English had 13 points and 9 rebounds and Jane Gilpen had 11 points and 7 assists as the University of San Diego defeated Santa Clara, 59-47, in a West Coast Athletic Conference at USD (9-15, 5-5). Dorinda Lindstrom had 15 for Santa Clara (9-13, 3-7).