Any Sox fans feel sorry for Frank Thomas - The Big Hurt

[Elwood P Dowd]

I live not far from his hometown of Columbus, Georgia. Saw him play in college at Auburn, which is just a few miles away in East Alabama. He and Bo Jackson played on the same Auburn baseball team in 1986. I remember watching Thomas hit a 500-foot home run to the opposite field one day and couldn't believe my eyes. The ball took 3 seconds to fly over a pine tree located 50 feet behind the right field fence. 20 years of watching Braves games in Atlanta, and I never saw a ball leave the park so fast. This was a college kid doing stuff the big boys couldn't do.

Anyway, Frank has played with the White Sox for 15 seasons. When they finally make it to the World Series, he has a broken foot. Frank is filthy rich, but I wish he could have had at least one at bat in the World Series considering how he is one of the few players who have stuck with the White Sox for so many seasons.

[B Calm]

1. Yes I feel sorry for Big Frank. He has been a joy to watch over

the years.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yes, he was everything for them in the lean years. Chicago's Mattingly.

[never cry wolf]

3. Yes, I am. I think he's gotten a bad rap in town...

However, every interview I hear him he is very upbeat about this team. He is with them, of course. One interview the interviewer asked him if this was bittersweet, getting this far but not being able to play. His reply was, "There's no bitter, this is all sweet!"

Don't forget, the manager as well as coaches Greg Walker, Harold Baines, Tim Raines & Joey Cora were all his teammates on the Sox. He has spanned the generation between then and now. I hope he can play again and the Sox sign him. The bone in his foot that he broke is very small and fragile and he has broken it twice in 2 different places...

BTW: He played on the same Auburn Football team with Bo as well, tho I think he quit after a couple of years to concentrate on baseball.

[kanrok]

4. Frank has grown considerably in the last few years

He is a tremendous talent. And he got there without steroids. He is an awesome hitter. I hope he comes back next year. He is in uniform, and on the bench. He belongs to and with this team. I feel bad that he hasn't contributed, but he will get a full share, a ring, and the everlasting honor of being a part of a World Series Champion. (Man that sounds great - Chicago White Sox, World Champs).