Retired College of the Desert Baseball head coach Donald D. Thompson, lovingly known as Don, Coach, DT or Donni T, peacefully passed away on October 27, 2023, in Palm Desert, California, at the age of 90.

A funeral service in loving memory of Don will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Palm Desert, California. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to a charity or organization of your choice in Don's honor.

Coach Thompson was the last coach to lead the Roadrunners to a Conference title back in 1971, until 2022 when Desert busted up that 51 year drought with an Inland Empire Athletic Conference Championship. Coach Thompson was a part of the coaching staff that helped lead the Roadrunners to multiple Desert Conference titles in 1965-1966-1967-1968, eventually taking charge of the program and leading Desert to the 1971 title. The flag pole at Ted Hamilton Field was placed in Coach Thompson's honor upon his retirement from helming the Roadrunners on May 13, 1984.

"There's been a lot of good memories and a lot of ups and downs. There's a lot of games I'll remember. You don't think of how many years you're going to do something. I was happy here and I like College of the Desert."

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photos courtesy of the Desert Sun (May 12, 1971 & May 14, 1984)