Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (1994) | SCREENSHOT: H.M.J.A .206/YouTubeCredit: H.M.J.A .206 on YouTube

A ‘Frank Thomas’ who played Major League Baseball passed away recently, but it probably isn’t the one you were thinking of. Instead of the Hall of Fame slugger from the White Sox, it was a different player – but with the same name. And that confusion led to Fox News accidentally identifying the former White Sox star – still very much alive at 55 years of age – as being the one who had passed away.

Frank Thomas – Nugenix Commercial | SCREENSHOT: Script to Screen/YouTubeCredit: C/O

Thomas, who is considered one of the greatest players in White Sox history, played in Major League Baseball for 19 seasons and later moved on as a noted baseball commentator and a commercial spokesman. Nicknamed ‘The Big Hurt’, he is one of the most recognizable players of his era, due to his hulking size and huge smile.

That’s why it was a bit surprising to see him featured in a Fox News vignette that showed images of famous figures who passed away in 2023. An outfielder who played in the 1950s and 60s – another man who was also coincidentally named Frank Thomas – did indeed pass in January of this past year. But the graphic that flashed on the screen was of the other Frank – the one who bashed homers for years in Comiskey Park.

“Ladies and Gentleman, I’m very sorry my ex-employer Fox would be this irresponsible on National TV this morning,” Frank Thomas incredulously posted on X. “Yes I’m alive and doing well. This blows my mind also.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a-fVnpG3d4

RELATED: The White Sox Are Looking To Leave Chicago As Multiple MLB Teams Move Or Consider Potential Exodus From Current Cities

The more modern Frank Thomas hit 521 home runs and averaged .301, spending the vast majority of his career playing for the Pale Hose. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in his first year of eligibility.

To be fair, however, the ‘old school’ version of Frank Thomas deserves some props, as well. He was a three-time All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for multiple teams in the Major Leagues from 1951-1966.

FOLLOW RYAN K BOMAN ON X

Ryan Boman is the author of the 2023 book, 'Pop Music & Peanut Butter', and a sportswriter whose previous ... More about Ryan Boman
Mentioned in this article:

More about: