TREATING a member of the Chinese Olympic baseball team (above near right). At above far right, Dr. Thomas shows his considerable memorabilia, and (inset above) the ring for the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins. “Being there for the ’03 World Series, watching guys I had worked with in the minor leagues become world champs, it doesn’t get any better than that for a guy like me,” said Thomas, who treasures his World Series ring.

SOME DOCTORS have all the fun.  A case in point is Dr. Bruce Thomas, a Melbourne, Florida physician who has spectacularly blended his love for medicine with his passion for sports.

DR. BRUCE THOMAS with baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda.

A stint at the Beijing Olympics, where he served as physician for the Chinese baseball team, is just the latest adventure for MIMA family practitioner and sports medicine specialist Dr. Thomas, who has led a charmed career amidst some of the world’s top athletes including Barry Bonds, Josh Beckett and superstar golfer Annika Sorenstam, who is a family friend. For Dr. Thomas, the field of dreams began with a family practice in Indialantic. It’s 1983. Enter a young Dr. Bruce Thomas, eager to pay back his medical school price tag by working with launch personnel at Patrick Air Force Base.

After taking care of that business, Thomas found he loved the Space Coast, so he hung his family practice shingle in Indialantic, Florida. To assuage his love of sports, he also began volunteering as a sideline doc for Melbourne High School teams. “I wanted to be a professional baseball player, but I realized in college, when I got to a level that I was mediocre compared to the competition, and that was going to be it,” explained Thomas, who attended Tulane for his undergraduate degree and remained there on for medical school.

THEN Vice President Dick Cheney greets Dr. Thomas during a visit to the Washington National’s clubhouse.

When Thomas began working with the Mel Hi teams, sports medicine was in its infancy and licensing boards were scouting for physicians who, like him, would be interested in non-orthopedic sports medicine certification. Board certification opened up a wondrous new world of opportunities for him. “I was the only board certified sports medicine doc in Brevard, so the Marlins approached me,” he said.

As it happened, the Marlins doc was also the Dolphins doc. Thomas thought he’d died and gone to heaven. “I got to know all the players,” he said.

Even after all these years, nothing can top the magic of the 1993 World Series games for Thomas. “Being there for the ’03 World Series, watching guys I had worked with in the minor leagues become world champs, it doesn’t get any better than that for a guy like me,” said Thomas, who treasures his World Series ring. When the Expos replaced the Marlins in Brevard, Thomas entered another wonderful career phase as the Expos team physician.  “I basically just changed shirts,” he said.

“Electric” Days
With MIMA’s blessing to pursue this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Thomas spent two seasons in Montreal and two in Washington with the Expos. “The last days in Montreal and the first days in Washington were electric,” he said.  “I was the doctor for the players, staff and family,” he said.

DR. THOMAS with Frank Robinson.

Another of Thomas’ great gigs is his current position as physician for the Women’s LPGA. “The women golfers are a delight,” he said.

Anika Sorenstam, Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer  all visit Thomas whenever there’s a medical issue. By cell phone or e-mail, Thomas is their physician-on-call. “I’m basically their family doctor,” he said.

Since many of the pros live in Central Florida, they often call on Thomas at his MIMA Sports Medicine office whenever something hurts. With Thomas’ guidance, for example, Annika Sorenstam was able to avoid surgery for a pinched nerve and ruptured disk. “Annika is one in a billion,” said Thomas. “She’s a very health conscious person, who’s never had a cold in her life.”

Currently, Thomas is also the team physician for the People’s Republic of China Olympic baseball team, as well as one of the team physicians for the U.S Olympic Team. How did the sports doc from Brevard hook up with the baseball team from China, the host to the 2008 Summer Olympics? He met the team at the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo in 2006. Because baseball is an emerging sport in China, the team needed comprehensive medical evaluations of players. “It was supposed to be an easy assignment,” he said.

Dr. Thomas’ site coordinator Laura Murphy with super star pro golfer Annika Sorenstam.

When he first saw the state of the Chinese baseball team, however, Thomas was appalled. “At least eight of their 20 team members were unplayable,” he said. “The conditions of some of their shoulders and elbows was horrendous, the worst I’ve seen in years. The team was doing the best it could, but six of their team members needed surgery, so I started calling around.”

Thomas contacted friend and Cincinnati Reds team doc Dr. Tim Kremcheck, who coordinated with him to fly the Chinese baseball players to Cincinnati for surgery.  “Post-op, I managed their rehab by internet and telephone,” said Thomas.

When the team visits Arizona to train, Thomas is there. “I go to check on my boys,” said Thomas. His intervention has helped the team reach its potential. “These guys have become outstanding because they’ve learned American methods of rehabilitation and strengthening,” he said. “They have gained the power to take care of their bodies.”

Thomas was also invited by the U.S Olympics Committee to oversee the health of Winter Olympics athletes while they trained in Colorado Springs. “It was my first exposure to figure skaters and speed skaters,” he said. “Their dedication is outstanding. They are there training 18 to 20 hours a day. You come back recharged about your own job.”

DOC THOMAS in his office with his staffers, Christina Pittman and Sandy King.

Planting Seeds
During his trips to China, Thomas has also taken time to teach baseball medicine techniques to Chinese doctors. “I feel like I’m planting seeds,” he said. “It’s a land of wonderful athletes.”

Because he still keeps his family practice, Thomas treats patients from infancy to grave. His oldest patient, a 102 year-old youngster, is the world table tennis champ for his age bracket. Regardless of age, Thomas wants his patients to be at optimum performance. Being one of Thomas’ family practice patients means the physician may try to change your ways. “I try to make athletes out of my couch potato patients,” he said.

Despite his caseload of glamorous sports patients and the stacks of sports memorabilia that threatens to take over his office, Thomas still considers himself a family doctor first. “You want your patients to do their best until their last breath,” he said.

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