Frank's Blog

This is the official blog of Frank Thomas, one of the most feared sluggers in the 1950s and early to mid 1960s.

Well, here it is, Spring Training time for baseball. I would like to tell my fans the teams I think should be watched. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and even Minnesota in the American League. In the National League, I think it will be the Phillies, Atlanta and this might be the year for the Cubs.

I do hope all my fans have a great bit of fun picking the teams to watch. One thing for certain, is that they all start out even, but within two months you will have a good idea about which teams will wind up in the playoffs.

Also, this is the time of the year when the Topps Series I comes out and also the Topps 2010 Heritage set. These are the only sets I will be working on this year, except for the 1952 set, which I am still trying to get the last 20 high numbered cards to complete it.

[In this month's blog Mr. Thomas writes about Mark McGwire's admission to taking steroids.]

I'm sure you have read or heard that Mark McGwire has finally admitted to taking steroids and that he is going to be a batting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. I want you to [word] and you can put this on my web site. I think it is a disgrace that Bud Selig would let this happen in baseball. I personally feel that anyone who had anything to do with steroids should not be in the game at all. That is cheating and I don't believe it is right. I don't care what they want to do to their [own] body, but it is what it is doing to the elementary - secondary and college kids. We don't need this in baseball. If McGwire is doing this to get into the Hall of Fame it is [word] wrong. If he is voted in, the integrity of the Hall of Fame would be disgraced.

I am waiting for the Topps 2010 Series I and the Topps Heritage sets to come out.

Mr. Thomas would also like to remind everyone that he is available for card shows, speaking engagements and other appearances. Please contact me for more information [click here]. He also has signed Black & White and Color Pictures of himself available for sale [click here for ordering info]

[This month's blog is in answer to a fan's question. Could you share that great story about how you thought Marv was accusing you of trying to take all his fans away by making back to back throwing errors in one inning or something to that effect while with the Mets back in the 60's ! I also asked Mr. Thomas to elaborate on player rivalries.]

To me, no matter what team you play for there is always a rivalry because you always want to beat the team you are playing against each and every day. You never like to lose, but you, as a player, should give credit to the opposing team if they beat you. And what is so nice about baseball is that you can be beat 15 to 0 today and tomorrow both teams start out even once again. That is what makes baseball the great game that it is. Errors are just as much a part of the game as base hits.

[Sorry, this one is up a little late, but got side-tracked with a few things. For this month's blog, I asked Mr. Thomas to write about his Spring Training experiences (which I know would have been more timely a few weeks ago when I first got his letter back.]

You asked me to write about Spring Training. My first Major League Spring Training was in San Bernardo, California with the Prates. I had to just feel my way around and then read the board to know where I was going to go, and what I had to do. I can remember when I went to pick up a bat to go and take my swings in the batting cage, when one of the players angrily said "son

don't you pick up that bat." I didn't know any better. I didn't know that each player had their own bat -- but I sure did learn it fast.

Going to Spring Training as a rookie is a much different compared to coming in as a veteran. Rookies had to do a lot of running and shagging fly balls. When you are a Veteran, you know you have to get in shape for the season, so you go about it in a way so you will not hurt yourself. A rookie will go all-out because he wants to make an impression and make the team.

I really think Spring Training is a lot different today. Back in my day, players wouldn't be in shape as they are today. They figured back then that that was what Spring Training was for - to get in shape. I remember during the off season I used to run at Pittsburgh Stadium or in a gym and I would throw a ball, but when you got to Florida or California you were running on sandy ground and [?word?] with your baseball cleats - and yes, you would be and sore after two days. I would spend time in the whirl pool in the clubhouse after the workout and then nee to go home and sit in the tub for the first three weeks of Spring Training. Once the soreness would finally go away, things became a lot easier. A veteran player knew his body and how to prepare for the coming season.

[I had also asked him his opinion on how they scheduled the Baseball Classic at the same time the MLB's Spring Training]

No, I don't think they should hold the Baseball Classic during Spring Training. You can easily get hurt and hurt your team. Yet again, most of the players today come in shape ready to go and play.

[In the Forum, a long time fan, Bobby Hurte, asks "Frank, I love your stories about catching barehanded and I know Zimmer's spitter was tough, but who was the fastest that you caught? For this month's blog I asked him to answer the question and expand on it as much as possible. I also asked him if he ever tried out for the position of catcher.]

Zimmer was the toughest and also the fastest because he had a great arm. This all started way back in 1949 when I was with the Waco Pirates in Waco Texas and one Bill Pierro, who was from Brooklyn, popped off and said how hard he could throw.

I listened for a while and then said I could catch your fastball barehanded. I said go down to the bullpen and warm up. He said he did not need to do that because I would not be able to catch him. I said, let's draw a line 60 feet six inches and I will sand at the end of the lime and you throw as fast as you can. So we did this and he wound up and threw three [pitches] which I caught. He then said, I didn't warm up. I then told him to go warm up and when he is ready to come back and we could do it again. He came back and threw five more, which I caught, and he didn't know what to say. I did this to deflate his ego and I had done this throughout my career.

When I was a kid my mom and dad could not afford to buy me a glove, so I played fast pitch softball without a glove. I played shortstop and shots came to me quite often so I just got used to doing this. I always said a glove was a hindrance to me. I always stressed whenever I was going to catch, [for the other player] to hold the ball across the seams with my fingers close together and to throw as had as they can and I would catch it. [Note: this decreases the movement on the ball.]

A lot of players wanted to do it. You heard the story about Willie Mays, I'm sure. I remember when I was playing with Milwaukee, playing left field with Hank Aaron in center. Between innings we would be warming up and when he threw me the ball, I would catch it barehanded. I would then move closer to him after each throw, and he would throw harder each time. After the third time, he threw it over my head and into the stands. I thought he was going to kill me, but it was all in fun.

No, I never tried out as catcher. I didn't think the coaches and managers ever saw me doing it, although when I played first base, I caught a lot of [???] thrown barehanded and saved some infielders from getting [hit].

[For this month, I asked Mr. Thomas to discuss his thoughts on this year's Hall of Fame inductions and his experiences at the Hall, and this is what he wrote:]

The selection process is one where the people voting for a Hall of Fame member have never seen the player play. They are just going by statistics and to me that isn't a true evaluation of the player and what he did for the team or teams he played for.

I told you that Gil Hodges and Tony Oliva deserve to be in. My statistics are better than the ?bottom? 40% who are already in. [It] seems [that players from] small market teams have a tough time getting in. If you look at the Hall of Fame roster, where are all the players from? Yankees - Dodgers - New York Giants - San Francisco Giants - St. Louis Cardinals - Chicago Cubs.

I have been to Cooperstown 3 or 4 times. I played in 3 [HOF] games with three different teams. I have never attended any induction ceremonies. I think the town's very unique and they have really done a great job at the museum. I took my family there one year and they really enjoyed it.

[A fan asked Frank on his forum to talk about his time in Houston. Below is what he answered:]

Now, about my stay in Houston in 1965 --- I was sold to Houston after the incident with Richie Allen. The manager told me right after I hit a home run in the 8th inning for the Phillies, so my last hit for the Phillies was a homer. I got to Houston and really didn't play my [best]. I broke my finger next to my pinky finger on my right hand. I still got in a few games. And lo- and behold my last hit as an Astro was a homer and I was then sent to Milwaukee April 31st, so I could play if the Milwaukee club was fighting for the Pennant. So I said I better get healthy. However, before [ sic] I did, I was sold.

FYI, I do have black and white 8x10 photos of me in my Houston uniform for sale for $10.00. This includes my autograph. [Note: for a list of the photographs Frank has available for sale, go to Frank's autograph request page for information and order form.]

[For this month's blog entry, I asked Mr. Thomas to write about the final weekend at Shea Stadium, how he felt, and some of the things that had happened. I kept the text as close as possible to how he had written it.]

The last weekend at Shea Stadium (Sept. 26-27-28th) was a very special and emotional weekend.

First of all, we flew into LaGuardia airport and were picked up and driven to our hotel on 1st Avenue. It was the Millennium Hotel, right above the U.N. building where they have the U.N. meetings with all the different heads of government. We were not allowed to drive down to the hotel. We were let out of the limo on 2nd Avenue and 44th street. The hotel staff had to come up and escort us down to the hotel.

Whenever we had to leave the hotel to take a walk or to find a place to eat, we had to have an escort to get back into the hotel. They had cops and squad cars all over the place. There were some teams with helmets and machine guns. They also had policemen on horses and some with guard dogs. I cam with my wife and we had never witnessed anything like this. We both said to each other that this was very scary.

When we had to go to the game on Friday and Saturday, we had to walk up to 2nd Avenue and 45th street and wait for our limo to pick us up and take us to the park. Sunday [the last game] the busses were able to come down in front of the hotel to pick us up. We were given our Mets shirts before getting onto the bus and w were to wear it when introduced at the park.

Friday and Saturday at the Diamond Club they had food and drinks for us. We all mingled and some of the players were taking pictures. I got to meet some of the Mets players who came after me including Dave Kingman who broke my home run record that stood for 13 years. I got to see Strawberry, and Gooden and Seaver and Darling as well as Shamsky, Pignatano, Stearns and many more. A lot of old friendships were renewed and my wife enjoyed every minute of it seeing some of her old friends.

I felt so honored that they invited me for that last game at Shea because I was also at the first game at Shea.

You asked me what was my fondest moment at Shea. Just moving into a new park which I had never experienced before. It is always sad to see something torn down, but I guess that is progress, as they say.

Yes, we all hung out before the ceremony watching the game and talking baseball. When I was introduced and walked out and saw my picture on the scoreboard and heard them announce what I did as a Met brought back a lot of fond memories. And the shaking hands with the fans and them telling you how great you were as a player -- there ain't anything better.

The final episode in which each of us stepped on home plate for the last time is something that I will never forget. After all of this, a big dinner was served and again we all said "Goodbye." The Mets were wonderful to me.

[I apologize for not getting anything up over the last few months, but personal matters had kept me away and out of contact with Mr. Thomas. For this month's blog, I am copying some of the Q&As from the Frank Thomas Forum.]

Since that confrontation day long ago with Richie Allen, did you ever make peace with him ? Have you seen him in recent years and if so, what has been the mood around the meeting ?

Reflecting back, do you have any regrets about the incident (especially when it is characterized by some today as a racially tinged confrontation).

Answer #1

It was an unfortunate circumstance, but yes, Richie and I had talked about it and all is well.

I held my head up high Jeffrey. It seems every time a black player and a white player have differences it always racial. This wasn’t the case with Richie and me.

I know you were one of the few bright spots on the expansion Mets, but, I would like to hear your take on that season. How did the players hold up through the trials and tribulations. From a large group being stuck in an elevator on the first day to being victims of a triple play in the last game of the season. The colorful Casey and his frustrations had to add fuel to the fire. How did you and the other players cope with the season and maintain your sanity?

Wally, a ball player has a bit of pride about himself. We went to the park every day for 162 games and did the best we could do. We had a good hitting team and we scored a lot of runs. We lost 51 games in the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th innings. If we would have had a long relief man, a short one and a closer like they have today G-d only knows where we would have ended up. One good thing about baseball is that you start out fresh every single day. We [played?] because we were proud players. Casey took care of the media and he did a great job. We just didn’t have the pitching. Like I said, we lost 51 games by 1 run in the 7^th thru 9^th innings. It just got to a point where we were wondered every day how we were going to lose, because we lost every way you could imagine.

I am curious what was the cost of the incline when you were a player? Did you have to take it up and down to get to the park?

Since you are from Pittsburgh who was your favorite Pirate growing up (mine Andy Van Slyke)?

What was the feeling for you when you were traded away from the Pirates and do you resent that you were let go after putting up such good numbers for them?

What is/was your prized collectable from your career of collecting baseball cards and memories?

Answer #3

James, I never road the incline, so I really can’t say what the cost was. I don’t think it was very much back then.

No, I never had to take the incline because it was on the other end from where I lived.

I never really had a favorite player while growing up. All I did was go out and play about baseball myself and didn’t worry about the Pirates and worry about what they were doing.

Baseball is big business and I remember Joe Brown (the General Manager) saying he would trade his own mother if it would help the ball club. The only resentment I had was that I was traded with a bad hand and no one ever believed me. You don’t go from 35 homers to 12 in the prime of your career unless there is something physically wrong with you.

My first major league glove that my wife had bronzed for me. I only collect baseball cards. I have a lot of memories. Hitting 3 homers in one game – hitting 6 homers in 3 consecutive games – and being involved in the first time four players hit consecutive home runs (Matthews, Aaron, Adcock and me).

[Frank wanted some ideas to write for his blog, so I asked him some questions about his personal card collecting habits. His answers are below.]

How did you start collecting baseball cards?

I started collecting when I was a youngster. I used to flip the cards I wanted or needed for my sets. I also used the duplicates to trade with friends. I have completed Topps sets from 1953 to 2007. I also have some duplicate sets.

A few years ago, you lost almost your entire collection in a fire - would you like to tell your readers little bit about it?

I kept my sets on the top shelf in the garage. They were in big boxes wrapped with paper. All of the paper went up in flames and destroyed all of the cards. Once the fans knew about the fire by someone writing an article in Sports Collectors Digest, I started getting calls and cards from all around the country. An organization named OBC (Old Baseball Cards) made me an honorary member. It is this organization and those all of you fans, such as the ones that have stood in line waiting for my signature are the ones who have really helped me rebuild my sets. [To see some of the cards Frank still needs, visit his want list page. Also note, his collection is now kept in a much more safe and secure location.]

I know you only collect Topps sets, why?

I collect the Topps sets because that was the company that first signed me to their cards after they bought out Bowman. My first two cards were with Bowman.

You have a large family, do any of your children collect cards?

No, my children do not collect cards. One of my grandchildren started, but he got older and other things began to interest him more.

Do you collect any sports cards other than baseball cards?

I do not collect other sports cards.

In your playing days, did you ever trade cards with other players?

No, I did not trade cards with any other player. I just asked them for their card, and if they had any they would usually give it to me.

What is your favorite card or set?

I like the 1958 set because it is a colorful set.

Thank you,

Frank Thomas

"The Original One"

1951-1956

[If you have any questions for Mr. Thomas, just ask them in the Q&A section of the forum and I will make sure he gets them. The most recently asked questions have already been forwarded and will hopefully be answered in next months blog.]

I was asked to write this blog about what was a typical day like when I played with the Pirates.

Most of our games were usually played at night except for Sunday double headers. I would wake up in the morning and have my breakfast. Then I would sit down and read the morning paper. After reading the paper if I had any fan mail to answer, I would then take care of that. When I had to be at the ballpark early my wife would have dinner for me about 2:30 or 3:00 PM. I would then leave for the park. I would put on my uniform and go out and get ready for batting practice. Once our batting practice was over we would go into the clubhouse and check our mail. If there was any important mail that had to be answered right away, I would take it with me. Otherwise, I would put my fain main in the shoebox above my locker and leave it there until I went on a road trip. I would then take the shoebox with me to answer my mail.

I did not really have any game-time “rituals.” The only I had was to do my stretching exercises so that I would be loose for the game. After the visiting team finished their batting practice, I would go out and take infield practice. As a leftfielder, I would take maybe 3 ground balls and then throw them to second base and then 3 to third, then three to home plate. If I was playing right field, I would throw 3 to third and three to home. Some of the time I even played centerfield. . . .

Before the game there was a little time to sign some autographs. Most of the time I used to sign after the game. When I would come out, everyone would line up in a single file and I would sign until everyone was finished. If someone tried to crash the line, I would tell them to go to the end of the line. Now, if any of them started to push and shove and crowd in around me, I would tell them if they do this I would walk away. I did this in every park I played in. now, if I had to catch the bus with the other players back to the hotel I would tell the fans to write to me at the ball park Forbes Field and I would honor their request.

When you played any sport it is a team effort. You have to try and get along with everyone. There is a lot of kidding and agitating among the players. You know which ones could take it and those that couldn't. You never try to hurt any of your teammates. Everything is done for fun.

Until next time. If you have a question for me to answer, just put it on my website [post it on the new Frank Thomas Forum] and I will try to answer you.

Thank you,

"The Original" Frank Thomas

To my friends who are youngsters, let me say this to you -- If you have a dream, follow that dream and don't let anyone talk you out of it. I say this because when I was 16 or 17 years old I was told by scouts that I would never make it to the Major Leagues. I was just a raw kid. I made all those people eat their words. It's because I had a dream that I wanted to be a Major League Baseball player and with the talent that G-d gave me and a bit of luck my dream came through. I would actually practice more than I would pay in a game. I made myself a good hitter with hard wok, desire and determination. You can do it. Don't ever give up. When you have G-d given talent on your side you will make it.

Baseball to me is the greatest and fairest game. No clock to beat you. The actual playing part of the game hasn't changed on the playing field. Managers have different ideas about how they manage. I'm from the old school. If you are a good pitcher you can get right and left hitters out. the same if you are a great hitter.

I personally don't like what is going on with the steroids. Baseball doesn't need this. I'm concerned about what they are doing to our children from elementary to high schools and college. I do hope this all gets corrected . . . and soon.

The Frank Thomas Blog

Send mail to thedigitalauthor@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2010 Frank Thomas "The Original One"
Last modified: 02/23/10

The Frank Thomas Blog

Send mail to thedigitalauthor@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2010 Frank Thomas "The Original One" Last modified: 02/23/10

Send mail to thedigitalauthor@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2010 Frank Thomas "The Original One"
Last modified: 02/23/10