A member of a prominent American cricketing family (three of his brothers also played). John Thayer, a vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was just a week short of his 50th birthday when the Titanic went down on April 15, 1912. Some years before he'd played in seven matches now recognised as first-class - three for the Philadelphians and four for "American Born", all at the Germantown Cricket Club in Pennsylvania, a hotbed of cricket at the time. He didn't have a huge amount of success, scoring 138 runs at 11.50, and taking six wickets at 26.83. His highest score (24) and best bowling (3 for 17) both came for Philadelphia against the United States in October 1883. His wife, son and maid survived the ship's sinking.

In 1884, Lillywhite said of him: -" Bats in finished style, and, with more patience, would be the best in the team in that department. Can hit hard, and is a dangerous man when once well in. Bowls medium round-arm with good command of the ball and a break both ways. Is a splendid mid-off, and shows fine fielding whenever he is placed either at the boundary or close to the wicket." During that tour he made 817 runs with an average of 28, his highest score being 93 against Gentlemen of Derbyshire, and took 22 wickets for 21 runs each.
Martin Williamson