| Ralph Thacker | |
| Birth Date: | 13 September 1880 |
| Birth Place: | Michigan, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Olivet College (B.A., 1909) |
| Player Sport1: | Football |
| Player Years2: | 1903–1906 |
| Player Team2: | Olivet |
| Player Positions: | Fullback |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | 1907 |
| Coach Team2: | Central Michigan |
| Coach Team3: | Traverse City HS (MI) |
| Coach Years4: | 1911–1912 |
| Coach Team4: | Peru Normal |
| Coach Years5: | 1913–1914 |
| Coach Team5: | Wyoming |
| Coach Years6: | 1915 |
| Coach Team6: | Lake Forest |
| Coach Years7: | 1922–1924 |
| Coach Team7: | Macalester |
| Coach Sport8: | Basketball |
| Coach Years9: | 1911–1913 |
| Coach Team9: | Peru Normal |
| Coach Years10: | 1913–1915 |
| Coach Team10: | Wyoming |
| Coach Years11: | 1915–1916 |
| Coach Team11: | Lake Forest |
| Coach Years12: | 1916–1917 |
| Coach Team12: | Macalester |
| Admin Years1: | 1922–1926 |
| Admin Team1: | Macalester |
| Overall Record: | 17–33–6 (college football) |
Ralph William Thacker (September 13, 1880 – April 12, 1962) was an American college football and college basketball coach and athletic administrator. He served as the head football coach at Central Michigan Normal School—now known as Central Michigan University—in 1907, Nebraska State Normal School—now known as Peru State College—from 1911 to 1912, the University of Wyoming from 1913 to 1914, Lake Forest College in 1915, and Macalester College from 1922 to 1924, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 17–33–6. Thacker was also the head basketball coach at Peru Normal from 1911 to 1913, Wyoming from 1913 to 1915, and Lake Forest for the 1915–16 season, and Macalester for the 1916–1917 season. He was the athletic director at Macalester from 1922 to 1926.[1] [2]
Thacker coached at Traverse City High School in Traverse City, Michigan before he was hired in 1911 at Peru Normal as director of physical training and football coach.[3] [4]
Thacker was born in Michigan. He died on April 12, 1962, in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he had resided for 25 years.[5] [6]