Frank Thomas’ stats make him a key part of any conversation related to Major League Baseball excellence, but he’s now getting a statue in his honor to further cement his place in the sport’s history.
According to the Montgomery Advertiser, on Saturday, Auburn University will unveil a statue of the baseball legend in front of Plainsman Park, the college’s baseball venue.
While it’s not an unknown recognition for Thomas – he still remembers how emotional he got when the Chicago White Sox unveiled a bronze image of him at their stadium 12 years ago – it’s still an honor he doesn’t take lightly.
In this February 1996 photo, Frank Thomas, designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox, poses for a portrait with the Big Hurt name on his uniform in Atlanta, Georgia. Auburn University will unveil a statue of the legendary Thomas this Saturday, April 8. (Photo: Simon Bruty/Allsport/Getty Images)
“It put tears in your eyes,” said Thomas, according to AuburnTigers.com. “Thinking when you’re dead and gone, you’ll still be here in a ballpark and people will be able to remember you.”
The Advertiser reported that Thomas, 54, initially attended Auburn on a football scholarship in 1986 after being scouted by late coach Pat Dye to play tight end. He planned to transition to baseball the following year and play under Hal Baird, but the move was fast-tracked following an ankle injury.
“It was a double whammy,” said Thomas, AuburnTigers reported. “I just wanted to play football and baseball when I grew up and be the best I possibly could be. Never thought it would end up being in Cooperstown and with statues in two ballparks.”
Still, he left a lasting impact on Dye during his only season of playing for him.
“If he had stuck with football, he’d be going in the hall of fame as a football player,” shared Dye in a 2014 story on Auburn’s official athletics website, according to the Advertiser.
Thomas, one of only 28 players in MLB history to hit 500 or more home runs, was inaugurated into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, housed in Cooperstown, New York, in 2014 and retired with a batting average of .301. He received four Silver Slugger awards throughout his tenure and back-to-back MVP wins in 1993 and 1994.
The White Sox chose Thomas with the No. 7 overall selection in the 1989 MLB draft. He played for them from 1990 to 2005 and had a successful 19-year professional career – including brief stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics – before retiring in 2008.
In 1986, during his one season on Auburn’s football team, Thomas hauled in three catches for 45 yards. The Tigers finished that season 10-2, with noteworthy victories over Alabama in the Iron Bowl and USC in the Citrus Bowl. The final AP Poll ranked them as the nation’s No. 6 squad.
As a college baseball player, Thomas topped the SEC batting average list in 1988 and 1989 with marks of .385 and .403, respectively.
The two-sport athlete completed his tenure at Auburn with a .382 batting average over 178 games, 49 home runs, and 228 hits. In addition, he took 153 walks overall, including 73 over 64 games in 1989.
Thomas also contributed 205 RBIs and 163 runs scored for the Tigers. He finished on the Plains with an on-base percentage of .514 and a slugging percentage of .725.
“I’ve been blessed,” Thomas said, AuburnTigers reported, “to have a career that people always remember.”
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