Who is Jim Thome? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: James Howard Thome

Age: 55 Years, 55 Year Old Males

Born Country: United States

Baseball Players American Men

Height: 6'4" (193 cm), 6'4" Males

Notable Alumni: Illinois Central College

U.S. State: Illinois

City: Peoria, Illinois

More Facts

education: Illinois Central College

Recommended For You

1

How many home runs did Jim Thome hit in his career?

Jim Thome hit a total of 612 home runs during his Major League Baseball career.
2

What teams did Jim Thome play for in the MLB?

Jim Thome played for several MLB teams, including the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, and Minnesota Twins.
3

Did Jim Thome ever win a World Series?

Yes, Jim Thome won a World Series championship with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
4

What position did Jim Thome primarily play in baseball?

Jim Thome primarily played as a first baseman and designated hitter during his baseball career.
5

How many All-Star Game appearances did Jim Thome make?

Jim Thome made a total of 5 All-Star Game appearances during his career.

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Childhood & Early Life

Jim Thome was born on August 27, 1970, in Peoria, Illinois, United States, into a proletarian family of athletes.

His grandfather, Chuck Sr., played baseball in the minor leagues. The legacy was continued by Jim’s father and aunt. His aunt, Carolyn, who was a fast-pitch softball player, was inducted into the ‘National Softball Hall of Fame’ in 1966.

Jim’s father, Chuck Thome, worked as a foreman who built bulldozers at ‘Caterpillar Industries Inc.,’ and played fast-pitch softball for the organization.

Jim Thome attended ‘Limestone High School,’ in Bartonville, Peoria County. He graduated in 1988, receiving All-State recognition in both basketball and baseball.

After finishing high school, Thome joined ‘Illinois Central College,’ where he established a name for himself in basketball and baseball.

The ‘National Junior College Athletic Association’ honored Thome by naming him an ‘All-American (baseball),’ a special feat for young, emerging players.

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Career

Jim Thome’s career started in 1989, when he was assigned to Cleveland Indians’ rookie level team.

Thome worked hard on his game with the then ‘Indians’ coach, Charlie Manuel, and established himself as a strong prospect for the big leagues.

On September 4, 1991, he made his Major League debut for ‘Cleveland Indians,’ playing as a third baseman.

Initially, Thome played mostly for the Cleveland Indians’ Triple-A affiliates, like the ‘Colorado Springs Sky Sox’ and ‘Charlotte Knights,’ during 1992 and 1993 seasons. In 1993, while playing for the ‘Charlotte Knights’ he hit 25 home runs with a .332 batting average, and earned himself a spot in the major league.

The ‘Cleveland Indians’ came up with a reinvigorated squad in 1994, and the powerhouses like Carlos Baerga, Kenny Lofton, Albert Belle and Sandy Alomar Jr., along with Jim Thome, produced a good overall performance and helped the ‘Indians’ grasp the wild card spot in the ‘American League.’

It was in 1995, when the ‘Cleveland Indians’ had their major successful run. Thome was a star player throughout the season, hitting 25 home runs and 73 RBIs with an average of .314, and contributed significantly towards the team’s victory of the ‘American League Championship.’ Though ‘Indians’ failed to win the world series, Thome became a household name in the country.

The ‘Cleveland Indians’ won the division title again in 1996, where Thome hit 38 home runs and 116 RBIs.

In 1997, Thome was moved from third baseman to first baseman. He scored the highest home runs for the team, 40, and had second highest RBIs, 102. The ‘Cleveland Indians’ became the American League Champions in that season but lost the World Series to the ‘Florida Marlins.’

Jim Thome continued his association with the ‘Cleveland Indians’ till 2002, post which he signed a deal with the ‘Philadelphia Phillies.’

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Thome played for the ‘Philadelphia Phillies’ from 2003 to 2005. He made a mark straight away by scoring 47 home runs, second highest in the franchise record list, and 131 RBIs, in his first season with the club.

The year 2005, was a difficult one for Thome, both emotionally as well as professionally. His mother, Joyce Thome, died of lung cancer. Thome later said in his mother’s remembrance, “She was the rock, the foundation of the family.” Thome also suffered from elbow and back injuries which restricted his run in the season to only 59 games. Later that year he was traded to the ‘Chicago White Sox.’

Thome started his ‘White Sox’ journey in 2006, and was one of the best players of the season. He hit 42 home runs, totaled 109 runs and batted .288. Thome’s outstanding performance throughout the season was widely acknowledged, and he was named the ‘The Comeback Player of the Year’ by ‘The Sporting News’ and ‘Major League Baseball.’

On September 16, 2007, Thome was playing his 2000th big league game. On this special occasion Thome hit his 500th home run, which was also a match winning stroke.

Credit to Thome’s home run in the tiebreaker match against the ‘Minnesota Twins,’ the ‘White Sox’ won the American League Central division in 2008.

In 2009, Thome was traded to the ‘Los Angeles Dodgers’ where he played as a pinch hitter. But his run with the Dodgers was short lived due to many injuries, and by 2010, he signed a contract with the ‘Minnesota Twins.’

Thome had a good season playing for the Twins. He hit 25 home runs, 59 RBIs, with an average of .283, which also included the longest home run ever hit at Target Field (150m), Twins’ home stadium.

On August 15, 2011, Thome became the eighth player in the history to hit 600 home runs. He achieved this monumental feat in a match against the ‘Detroit Tigers’ at Comerica Park.

Thome’s stint with the ‘Minnesota Twins’ lasted till 2011, post which he joined his old club ‘Cleveland Indians.’ He played 22 games for the club in his second term, and playing at the fifth spot in the batting order, Thome hit 3 home runs, 10 RBIs, with a batting average of .296. By the time Thome left the Indians, he was their all- time leader in home runs, having hit 337 home runs for the club.

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In 2012, Thome joined the ‘Philadelphia Phillies’ again, in a one-year, $1.25 million deal. His second stint with the Phillies was interrupted due to a lower back injury. But he returned shortly, hitting 4 home runs and 14 RBIs.

By the time he finished with the Phillies, he had scored 101 home runs for the club, becoming only the fourth major league player to hit 100 home runs for three different clubs. Thome was soon traded to the Baltimore Orioles.

Thome continued playing for two more seasons. When he retired, he had hit 612 home runs, 1699 RBIs, 1747 walks, with a batting average of .276.

Post retirement, Thome joined the Chicago White Sox in 2013, as special assistant to the general manager, Rick Hahn.

Award & Achievements

Thome won the ‘Silver Slugger Award’ in 1996.

He received the ‘Marvin Miller Man of the year Award’ in 2001 and 2004.

Thome also received the ‘Lou Gehrig Memorial Award’ in 2004.

In 2002, Thome received the prestigious ‘Roberto Clemente Award.’

Cleveland Indians dedicated a statue to Jim Thome in 2014.

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In 2016, he was inducted into the ‘Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.’

Thome was inducted into the ‘Baseball Hall of Fame’ in 2018.

Family & Personal Life

Jim Thome married Andrea Pacione, a news presenter, on November 7, 1998.

They have two children, a daughter, Lila Grace, and a son, Landon.

Thome is an active philanthropist, who is known for his charity work for many organizations.

Facts About Jim Thome

Jim Thome is known for his love of the great outdoors and is an avid hunter and fisherman in his spare time.

Thome holds the record for the most walk-off home runs in Major League Baseball history, showcasing his clutch hitting abilities.

Despite his intimidating presence at the plate, Thome is known for his friendly and approachable personality, often taking time to interact with fans.

Thome is a big believer in giving back to the community and has been involved in various charitable endeavors throughout his career.

In addition to his baseball skills, Thome is also a talented musician and has been known to play guitar in his free time.

Jim Thome Biography

You wanted to know

How many home runs did Jim Thome hit in his career?

What teams did Jim Thome play for in the MLB?

Did Jim Thome ever win a World Series?

What position did Jim Thome primarily play in baseball?

How many All-Star Game appearances did Jim Thome make?