Auburn Has Three Inducted Into Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
by aubtigerman on May 24, 2011 10:43 PM CDT
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The Big Hurt was one of three former Auburn greats to be inducted into the Ala. Sports Hall of Fame.
"You could see how great a player he would be the first time he walked out on the field at Auburn." Legendary Auburn Baseball Coach Hal Baird said about former Tiger great Frank Thomas." Baird added, "He was the greatest hitter I ever saw in college baseball"
Thomas was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame this past Saturday in Birmingham. During his senior year Thomas led the SEC with a .403 batting avg, with 83 runs batted in, and was voted the SEC MVP. He hit 49 career homeruns and was the first Auburn baseball player to win consensus All American honors.
Nicknamed "The Big Hurt" for his prowess at the plate, Frank was a two time MVP and five time All Star with the Chicago White Sox . He drove in 1704 runs, and hit 521 homeruns. 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.
With numbers like that, Thomas should go into Cooperstown in 2014, the first year he will be eligible.
Joining Thomas in the 2011 Auburn class was Auburn Football great David Hill and Basketball star Henry Hart.
Hill was one of the best offensive lineman to ever play on the Plains. He was named to the Auburn Team of the Decade for the 1960's.
He played professionally for the Kansas City Chiefs and is fourth on the Chiefs list for the most games ever played (149) by a Chiefs offensive lineman.
During his career he earned two AFC Championship rings and one Super Bowl ring.
The late Henry Hart was a guard on the first Auburn team to win the SEC Basketball Championship. He was named three times to the All- South Eastern Conference Team (1957,1959, 1960) and was co-MVP of the SEC in 1960.
In 1960 Hart received the Cliff Hare Award for Auburn University’s most outstanding athlete.
The Auburn Family is proud of all of these former Tigers. Congratulations to them and their families.
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These three are very deserving.
I’ve always been a big Frank Thomas fan. I agree he will go into Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility.
by GreenvilleAUfan on May 25, 2011 8:45 AM CDT reply actions
If I were to create a "TOP TEN" all time favorite AU athletes...
That list would include Frank Thomas.
If he doesn’t make the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot, I’ll petition every baseball fan in the country to boycott baseball altogether.
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
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