A switch-hitting left-handed outfielder and first baseman, Thurman signed with the Montreal Expos in 1976, and played for the Portland Mavericks minor league club. That season his team won the Northwest League championship. Thurman has been the assistant baseball coach at Seckman High School since 1997. His teams have won three conference championships and two district championships. He was the head baseball coach at Missouri Baptist University from 1983-85. In 1984, his team won the Ozark Conference title and he was named conference Coach of the Year.

Joe played for Missouri Baptist from 1974-76 and he was captain of the team. He was named All-American and All-Conference. In 1976, his team finished second at the National Small College World Series. In 2004, Thurman was elected into the Missouri Baptist University Hall of Fame. He was an outfielder and first baseman for Jefferson College from 1972-74. In the early 1970s, Thurman played for Windsor High School. He was elected twice to the American Legion all-star team. He was on the Imperial Senior Khoury League team that won the 1975 Tri-State championship. Thurman was a Major League scout for 27 years and is a member of the St. Louis Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame.