Tacoma Tyees (1962-1965) Seattle Ramblers (1961)

Quarterback

Immediate and long-term champion.  That is what followed Jerry Thacker each time he stepped foot on a playing field.  Be it a gridiron or a diamond, he found success at every stop.

Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Thacker graduated from Port Townsend high school in 1956 where he led the "Redskins" to the 1955 and 1956 Washington State basketball tournament averaging 15.5 points per game, second to teammate Bob Crist who would go on to star at Whitworth University and serve as President of the Class of 1960.  Jerry was the Olympic League's leading passer during the 1955 football season as a Senior.  Thacker would take his skills to the University of Puget Sound after earning All-State honors in Football, Basketball and Baseball.

While at Puget Sound, Jerry continued his 3-sport dominance earning 4 letters in football, 4 letters in baseball and 2 letters in basketball graduating in 1961.  A 1958 Evergreen League All-Star quarterback, Thacker still holds the record for longest touchdown pass at UPS for his 94-yard bomb to Ed Tingstad in 1960.  After graduation, Thacker, a top-notch short stop, played for four more seasons with the Woodworth Construction summer baseball team. 

From 1957-1960 Jerry Thacker established nine passing and offensive records including Career Passing Yards (1,922), Pass Completions (121), Total Offense (3,027) and Most Passes Attempted (250) to go along with the Longest Play of 94-yards

The Tacoma Tyees semi-pro football team formed and Jerry joined the team in 1962 as a quarterback after playing the 1961 season with the Seattle Ramblers behind future Greater Northwest Hall of Famer Mel McCain.  The Tyees immediately became a thorn in the side of the reigning champion Seattle Ramblers who were 19-2 over the '60-'61 seasons including a 9-0 campaign in 1960.  The Tyees won both matchups with the Ramblers in 1962 and in 1963 won the North Pacific Football League championship for a second-consecutive year with Thacker at the helm as a mainstay on the all-league rosters.  Jerry would continue with the Tyees until 1965 when he hung up his gridiron cleats to pursue coaching serving as an assistant football coach with Pacific Lutheran from 1964 to 1966.

The Port Angeles Evening News reported on July 12, 1967 that the Seattle Rangers of the Continental Football League had secured a contract with Thacker to be a defensive back as well as a reserve quarterback, however Jerry opted out in favor of pursuing his career in education.

Jerry earned a Masters Degree in Education in 1970.

While beginning his career as a successful teacher and coach he would add softball champion to the trophy case.  His softball career began with Heidelburg Slow-Pitch from 1965-1972, leading the team to 7-straight Northwest championships and adding to his MVP and All-Star accolades on the regional and national level.

While at Orting High, he coached baseball and football leading Orting to the 1976 Class A State Championship.  He was named Pierce County Coach of the Year in 1978.

As his professional career moved forward, his softball career continued along side and by 1992, Thacker joined the Masters Division with Ruth Realty and eventually with First American Title which won the 65-and over National Slow Pitch Title in 2005, defeating "Top Gun" of San Diego for the Western Championship, and the Michigan Sportsmen in a Phoenix, AZ showdown for the overall National title.

In 2006 the Tacoma-Pierce County Hall of Fame came calling and inducted Jerry Thacker into the Football wing of the Hall of Fame.

In 2016, Thayer would again be honored in the TPC Hall of Fame as a member of the entire Heidelburg Softball teams of 1965-1971.

Jerry passed away in February of 2019, but not before leaving his name as a prominent legend of the Pierce County athletic fraternity in multiple sports.

Football Honors:

College - University of Puget Sound

1958 Evergreen Conference All-Star

1959 AP Little All-America Honorable Mention

1959 Little All-Northwest Second Team

1959 Evergreen Conference All-Star

1960 Evergreen Conference All-Star Defense (DB)

1960 Evergreen Conference All-Star Offense (QB)

Tacoma Tyees

1962 North Pacific League Champions

1962 NPFL All-Star

1963 North Pacific League Champions

1963 NPFL All-Star

1964 NPFL All-Star

2006 Tacoma-Pierce County Hall of Fame