Jim Thome

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Jim Thome is a former American baseball player known for his power hitting. Born August 27, 1970, in Peoria, Illinois, he played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1991 to 2012 as a first baseman, designated hitter, and occasional third baseman. He collected 2,328 hits, 1,699 RBIs, and 612 home runs, finishing with a career batting average of .276. Thome appeared in five All-Star Games and won a Silver Slugger Award in 1996.

Thome spent most of his career with the Cleveland Indians (1991–2002), then played for the Philadelphia Phillies (2003–2005, 2012), the Chicago White Sox (2006–2009), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2009), the Minnesota Twins (2010–2011), and the Baltimore Orioles (2012). He is the Indians/Guardians’ all-time leader in home runs and walks, and he hit 52 home runs in 2002, setting a team single-season record and finishing second in the American League that year. In 2003, he led the National League in home runs with 47 while with the Phillies. Thome joined the 500-home-run club in 2007 with a walk-off homer, a milestone he reached in a dramatic fashion. He later hit his 600th career home run in 2011.

Thome was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 on the first ballot, receiving 89.8% of the vote. The Indians retired his number 25 in 2018. He also earned multiple awards for character and community service, including the Roberto Clemente Award (2002), the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award (2001, 2004), and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (2004). After retiring, Thome worked in MLB front offices, served as an analyst for MLB Network, and in 2022 became president of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.

Known for his signature batting stance (bat held out and pointed toward center field) and high socks, Thome was a patient hitter who combined power with a steady walk rate. He finished with a strong legacy as one of baseball’s most prolific sluggers and a widely loved teammate. He and his wife, Andrea, have two children, and his name is honored in fields and facilities, including the Jim Thome All-Star Complex in Cleveland.