The " BIG HURT " Is Back In Town
by aubtigerman on Feb 27, 2010 2:26 PM CST
16 comments
It
Former Auburn All American 1st baseman and Major League great Frank Thomas returned to Auburn's Plainsman park February 27.
Nineteen ninety three was the last time that Auburn's Frank Thomas was in Auburn. Today he will be at the special ceremonies in Auburn to honor the inaugural class of Auburn Baseball's Wall Of Fame. He will be joined by three other Auburn greats : Tim Hudson, Gregg Olson, and Bo Jackson.
I was able to watch Thomas play high school ball in Columbus, Georgia. Even then you did not have to be a major league scout to recognize that he was an unusual athlete that would make a name for himself in professional sports. He excelled in basketball, baseball, and football. He was considered by many to be one of the top tight ends in the south, making All State his senior year. I was excited when Coach Pat Dye signed him to a football scholorship in 1986. However few knew at that time what a great impact player he would be ... but not in football ... in baseball.
Coach Dye said Thomas was good enough to have been a 1st Round NFL Draft Pick, but after being injured his freshman year, Dye allowed him to remain on football scholarship. He went on to play for the Tiger Baseball Team and light up the SEC scoreboards with RBI's and homeruns.
After 19 seasons in the big leagues, Thomas retired February 12th. It would take too long to list all of his major league acomplishments here for he will definetly being going into Cooperstown. However to list just a few he was a 5 time All Star, who hit for a lifetime .301 avg, an on base avg. of .419, was in the top 3 in MVP voting six times winning it twice, drove in 1704 runs, and hit 521 homeruns. Only 6 players in history hit more homeruns and have a higher career batting average . He is the only player in major league history to have 7 consecutive seasons of a .300 avg, at least 100 walks, 100 runs scored, 100 RBI's, and hit at least 20 homeruns. And he done it all without steroids.
Coach Hal Baird said " You could see how great a player he would be the first time he walked out on the field at Auburn ". Baird said " his bat speed was unbelieveable" Thomas started his Auburn career by hitting .359 with 21 homeruns his freshman year and finished his senior season by leading the SEC with a .403 batting avg, with 83 runs batted in, and was voted the SEC MVP. He was the first Auburn baseball player to win consensus All American honors. The legendary Baird said Thomas was " the greatest hitter I ever saw in college baseball , hitting for average as well as homerun hitting".
Its great to see Head Coach John Pawlowski start this new tradition of a Wall of Fame at Auburn. And its great to see him bring back ( like Chizik has done ) former Auburn greats and honor them. It is also great to have Frank " THE BIG HURT " Thomas back in town, its been too long since 1993. Welcome back Frank and Congratulations !
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Out of curiosity, is Hudson also being honored?
Congratulations to the 2009 SEC and BCS National Champions: The Alabama Crimson Tide! Roll Tide Roll!
Yes all four are being honored.
Thomas, Hudson, Olson, Jackson … without question the best class for the Auburn Baseball Wall Of Fame.
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
Thanks, Jay, for reporting on this event.
One of the great things about this 21st century technology we have is to be able to see stuff like this. It’s a video that anyone who is interested in Auburn (in any way) would be delighted to see.
As anyone who frequents this site knows, I do not consider myself among those who feel they are adequate to say who is or is not an “Auburn Man” … even though, I would call myself an “Auburn Man” because my Auburn education and my Auburn experience played a very big part in making me the man I am today. And, I acknowledge it and I embrace it.
I don’t know, but I suspect that the 4 men who were honored this week by their alma mater might say the same about themselves.
Either way, it was good to see Auburn University and its Athletic Dept honor these men in this significant way. And, as you point out, it’s great to see that Coach Chizik is putting an emphasis on acknowledging and embracing Auburn’s history and traditions as he goes about the business of building this football program.
P.S. A video of some of some of the other comments at the ceremony can be seen here:
http://tribeca.vidavee.com/advance/doc/EB924FAEF2250BE274065F3CE4A18672?AF_deliveryChannel=play
Really well done auburntigerman...
these guys are class acts, and this was a very classy write up.
WAR EAGLE!
Come and join me at http://tigerbloggin.blogspot.com
Agreed...
Great story.
I'm wearing this Auburn shirt because I went to Auburn. You are wearing that Alabama shirt because you went to Walmart.
Thanks Jay, you didn't have to say it but it means alot coming from you.
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
Thanks Koolbell and I always enjoy reading your post.
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
Sorry for the oversight auburntigerman ...
… I thought this story was under Jay Coulter’s byline … but, now I see you wrote it. Nice job. Thanks.
And, sorry Jay … I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth. You may not want to be associated with the comments about Coach Chizik’s emphasis on embracing Auburn’s history and the old Auburn war horses who helped make some of that history.
No prob Xotus and thanks for posting the video.
I think Jay would go along with my Chizik reference. The lack of "embracing Auburn’s history and the old Auburn war horses who helped make some of that history " is one of the main things that always puzzled me about the previous staff. For example I’ve read reports including Phllip Marshall that Bo Jackson was a regular around the program last year, yet he was hardly visable for the previous decade. I liked Tommy and was very appreciative of his work and his accomplishments. But it seem to me that when it came to what makes Auburn special that he never quite seem to " get it ".
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
The previous coaching staff's approach in dealing with ...
… many Auburn folks – who felt they were woven into the Auburn fabric way before the previous staff arrived on the Auburn scene & knew that Auburn would still be a big part of their lives way after the previous staff departed the Auburn scene – may indeed be ’puzzling" … but, it was the way the previous staff wanted it, almost from the beginning.
One of Auburn’s most famous, admired, and honored former all-americans is a neighbor and personal friend of mind. He has shared some of his thoughts on the subject … and, he is more optimistic about what’s going on at Auburn right now — as it relates to those who are the current stewards of the football program — than he has been for years. And, with this man, at this point in his life, it is all about Auburn University and not about fragile egos and personality needs of mortal men.
As far as Coach Tuberville is concerned, I been with him on several occasions. I’ve talked to the man. Looked the man in the eye. Took his measure. I believe he is a good man and a likable guy. But, for some misguided reason, he decided to go down a path as Auburn’s football coach, after the so-called jet-gate episode, that was more than regrettable … it was the stuff from which Greek tragedies are made … complete with fatal flaws and irrational personal vendettas.
If you’re interested, you can get more on the Tuberville saga, from my viewpoint, by going to the very first post I made on this blog:
http://www.trackemtigers.com/2008/10/16/636041/tommy-and-the-fans#9400548
Thanks for the link to your 11/08 post...
… I remembered it as I was reading. Your one of the TET members that I always appreciate reading your thoughts here on this board.
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
I meant "10 / 08" post xotus
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
I don't usually give compliments.
The last thing I want to do is sit and scratch someone on the back telling them how great they are. Then again, some things just come out and stick in your mind. aubtigerman, you have done that this time and congratulations on a great piece of writing.
Thanks Sparkey ...
… very gracious of you, I appreciate the compliment.
aubtigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
I agree Sparkey
I particularly like AU swimming, softball, and baseball so I really enjoyed this post.
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