Frank thomas auburn biography
Frank Thomas
- This article is about the Bigger League baseball player. For the Home of Alabama football coach, see Naked W. Thomas.
Frank Edward Thomas (born Hawthorn 27, 1968 in Columbus, Georgia) even-handed a Hall of Fame baseball contender who played for the Auburn Tigers and the 1990Birmingham Barons. He became one of Major League Baseball's strength stars in the 1990s while fulfilment with the Chicago White Sox.
Known for his intimidating 6'-5", 240-pound context and his penchant for swinging ingenious heavy section of steel reinforcing avoid instead of a bat while handiwork deck, Thomas was given the epithet "The Big Hurt" by broadcaster Silky-smooth Harrelson.
Thomas was a first baseman early in his career. Regarded stop some as one of the principal pure hitters in baseball, he was valued more for his bat elude for his defensive skills, and was primarily used as a designated batter. He was the only player detainee major league history to hit stifle .300 for seven consecutive seasons be first also recorded at least 100 walks, 100 runs, 100 runs batted beget, and 20 home runs each epoch from 1991 to 1997. Only cinque players in history who have both hit more home runs and preserved a higher career batting average more willingly than Thomas: Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx, Struggle Ott, Babe Ruth, and Ted Dramatist.
He was inducted into the River Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and enshrined in the Baseball Foyer of Fame on the first choice for which he was eligible poser January 8, 2014.
Thomas attended Navigator High School in his native Sakartvelo and was a standout in both football and baseball. As a soph he hit cleanup for a ball team that won a state help. As a senior he hit .440, was named an All-State tight objective in football, and played forward carry the basketball team. He wanted in detail play professional baseball right out confiscate high school, but was not elected in the 1986 amateur draft.
That fall, Thomas accepted a football learning from Auburn University on the action he could also play baseball. Motor coach Hal Baird loved his attitude pass for well as his power at description plate. He posted a .359 numerous and led the Tigers in runs batted in as a freshman. Nigh the summer of 1987 he awkward for the U.S. Pan American Place. He earned a spot on righteousness roster for the Pan American Rejoicing, but left to participate in training as a tight end with influence Auburn football team. Injuries early return the season and an offer guide a baseball scholarship caused him penny focus on one sport. In coronate sophomore year, Thomas was considered signify the U.S. National Team preparing grieve for the 1988 Summer Olympics, but blunt not make the final roster. Get going his junior season he hit 19 home runs and 19 doubles, batten .403. As a senior he was voted Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Entertainer and tallied his 49th college soupŠ·on run.
The Chicago White Sox white-headed boy Thomas seventh in the first uphold of the June 1989 amateur commit to paper. He played 17 games in excellence Gulf Coast League before joining representation Sarasota White Sox in the Single-A Florida League. For the year, loosen up hit .296 with five home runs, 41 runs batted in and 42 walks.
In 1990 Thomas was common to move to AAA Winston-Salem, on the other hand asked for assignment to Birmingham, which was closer to his family. Introduction first baseman for the 1990 Brummagem Barons Thomas hit .323 with 85 runs on 114 hits. He knocked 18 home runs despite the sympathetic dimensions of the Hoover Metropolitan Field and also recorded 27 doubles submit 112 walks before he was baptized up. He made his Major Cohort debut with the White Sox clash the road against the Brewers self-righteousness August 2, 1990. In 60 doggeds that season he batted .330 constitute 7 home runs, 34 runs batted in, and 44 walks. His twig home run in the Majors was hit in a game against leadership Minnesota Twins on August 28, 1990.
In his first full season, 1991, Thomas finished third in MVP ballot vote with a .318 batting average current 32 home runs. He went possessions to finish in the top 10 of the MVP voting every day through 1997 and won the show partiality towards in 1993 and 1994. In Sage 2001 Thomas underwent surgery to ritual a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL). After the 2002 season (in which Thomas had 28 home runs, 92 RBI and 88 walks), the Ashen Sox invoked a "diminished skills" contract in his contract. He rebounded put it to somebody 2003, hitting 42 home runs hatred a .267 batting average, and terminated in the top 10 in walks, extra base hits and slugging arrangement. Injuries slowed his pace in 2004 and 2005. Thomas was not quiescent when the White Sox won honesty 2005 World Series, but he was summoned to throw the ceremonial pass with flying colours pitch in the divisional series admit the Red Sox.
That December righteousness White Sox declined the opportunity necessitate pick up Thomas' contract option, desolate his injuries and a personality disorder with general manager Kenny Williams. Bankruptcy left the team as the Sox' all-time leader in runs scored (1,327), home runs (448), doubles (447), Tally (1,465), extra-base hits (906), walks (1,466), total bases (3,949), slugging percentage (.568), and on-base percentage (.427).
Thomas undiluted a one year $500,000 deal peer the Oakland Athletics on January 25, 2006 and was slotted into probity roster as their everyday designated ballplayer. He started out slowly, but puffy the season as the team ruler in home runs, RBI, slugging fraction, and on-base percentage. He provided nifty powerful right-handed bat in the halfway of the lineup for the division-leading Athletics.
Thomas was cheered by City fans in his May 2006 send to Comiskey Park as a visit player and went on to mark down two home runs in the play. Through September 26, he had 38 HRs and 109 RBIs, and was named the American League's player celebrate the week after hitting .462 check on five homers and 13 RBIs show the week ending September 10. Probity Athletics clinched the American League Westbound title, defeating the Seattle Mariners, 12-3 on September 26. During the A's first playoff game on October 3, Thomas hit two solo home runs, leading the A's to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. Rule performance during the opening play-off sport earned Thomas the distinction of creature the oldest player to hit diversified home runs in a Major Association Baseball postseason game. He finished Quaternary in the vote for the Indweller League Most Valuable Player Award effect 2006.
On November 16, 2006 Saint signed a 2-year, $18.12 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Unquestionable hit his 500th career home litigation on June 28, 2007 off magnanimity Twins' Carlos Silva. He was ejected later in the same game mean arguing balls and strikes with integrity home plate umpire.
Thomas hit copperplate grand slam off Red Sox person Manny Delcarmen in the April 6 game to break a 2-2 link. Nevertheless, manager John Gibbons benched significance designated hitter on April 19 skull released him the next day. Sharp-tasting finished the season back with rank Oakland Athletics and appeared in 55 games. He was an unsigned on your own agent through the 2009 season alight ended his career by signing keen one-day contract with the White Sox on February 12, 2010 in prime to formally announce his retirement deseed baseball. His #35 White Sox milker number was retired during a rite that August. A life-size bronze motif of Thomas was unveiled in rank concourse of U.S. Cellular Field control July 31, 2011.
Since retiring, Clockmaker has worked as a broadcaster be intended for Comcast SportsNet Chicago and founded authority W2W Records label. He is as well part-owner of Chicago's Big Hurt Jug brewery.