The Chicago White Sox ignited a social media firestorm on Sunday with their Black History Month tribute graphic, which focused on “momentous firsts” in the franchise’s history of Black players.
The post highlighted Minnie Miñoso as the player who broke the team’s color barrier in 1951 and Al Smith as the first Black All-Star in White Sox history.
Notably absent from the graphic was any mention of Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, despite his extensive legacy with the organization. Thomas made it pretty clear he wasn’t happy about the omission.
“I guess the black player who made you rich over there and holds all your records is forgettable!” he wrote on X. “Don’t worry, I’m taking Receipts!”
Yikes. You never want to make a dude known as “The Big Hurt” angry. And yet, the White Sox seem to have done that. his repsonse went viral.
I Guess the black player who made you rich over there and holds all your records is forgettable! Don’t worry I’m taking Receipts!
— Frank Thomas (@TheBigHurt_35) February 1, 2026
Frank Thomas White Sox Black History Month Snub Sparks Controversy and Viral Backlash
The tone of Frank Thomas’s post, including the reference to “taking Receipts,” suggests genuine frustration. He clearly feels he was slighted.
How do you overlook a Hall of Famer of his stature, especially given his record-breaking contributions and role in elevating the franchise’s profile during his tenure?
While some might interpret it as playful banter, the emphasis on being “forgettable” amid his undeniable impact points to real disappointment rather than mere jest. The guy is mad! Big mad.
And a Big Hurt who is big mad makes for a very bad combination.
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Here’s the thing: Thomas is right. Beyond his many accomplishments, he actually has a historic honor that pertains to Black History month.
Thomas’s illustrious career spanned 16 seasons with the White Sox, where he established himself as one of baseball’s premier power hitters. A five-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP (in 1993 and 1994), he became the first Black player to win consecutive AL MVPs.
Thomas also earned four Silver Slugger awards, amassed 521 career home runs (448 with Chicago), and posted a lifetime slash line of .301/.419/.555. He holds numerous White Sox franchise records, including home runs (448), RBIs (1,465), runs scored (1,327), doubles (447), walks (1,466), slugging percentage (.568), and on-base percentage (.427).
His dominance culminated in a first-ballot induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
The White Sox franchise has endured a challenging stretch on the field, posting a dismal 41-121 record in 2024—the worst in modern MLB history—and improving slightly to 60-102 in 2025.
Looking ahead to 2026, oddsmakers project the team to win around 65-66 games, remaining one of the league’s weakest squads despite some offseason additions, with expectations placing them just ahead of the Colorado Rockies as the second-worst team in baseball.
You’d think they’d be thrilled to honor an iconic figure from the old days since they have nothing to celebrate in the present.