Congrats, Jim. Outro Song | KSHMR & Marnik - "Bazaar" Twitter | / exeeditsmlb Instagram | / exeedits Facebook | / exeedits * I do not own any of the clips that I upload. All clips belong to Major League Baseball.
1) So many jacks against the Yankees... Beautiful. Heh. 2) So many Hammy calls... Those never get old. 3) His swing was always just so smooth, fluid, and EASY... Probably one of the most natural power hitters in baseball. And that stance. And the high socks. Worthy Hall Of Famer.
Thome was the most active underrated player...never got the bling bling but was always on ESPN highlights...dude was pure baseball for 22 years! Never a bad word on Big Jim. Best words ever, "O'Neill is turning, and looking...it's gone!"
When the 90's Indians team started breaking up, I didn't just stop watching baseball, I stopped watching sports at all. Thome, Vizquel, Alomar, Lofton, Ramirez... Man, I loved this team.
That was one of the great curses of those 90s Indians teams. The deep supply of raw talent and memorable personalities has never been matched (and probably never will be) by any Indians team since. Even when the tribe is winning, I think a lot of fans (myself included) still consider the team from the 90s as their favorite by a long shot (even though they never actually won a World Series).
Life long Phillies fan and after their appearance in the 1993 World Series the Phillies had some rough years to say the least. However, the Phillies signing Jim Thome to coincide with the new stadium got a ton of people interested in the Phillies again. The crowds were filling up again and for the first time since that 1993 World Series run we were watching exciting baseball. Thome helped make the Phillies competitive again and they were actually playing meaningful September baseball fighting for wild card spots. While they never made the playoffs with Thome there I guess he made them realize "hey, this winning thing is kind of cool" and just a few years later they would win the World Series in 2008. As for Thome himself, the dude was a beast in Philly and we loved him. He played two fantastic seasons here and unfortunately what would have been a 3rd fantastic season was cut short due to injury. Was really happy to see him get into the Hall of Fame.
Thome is my all time favorite Indian. He was up for FA in 01, wanted to come back and resigned for half of what he was worth. I wish the team could have closed it out for him. When he left for Philly I was bummed; but never stopped liking him as a player.
Excited for you Jim!! Always knew since I was a kid you were destined for greatness! You're still my favorite most beloved player to this day. Their is a reason why. So good and man, just the purest baseball player you'll ever meet and enjoy the game to watch. Anyways, Congratulations, God Bless and looking forward the induction at last as "you guessed it", A Cleveland Indian!!
My childhood idol. I get goosebumps watching these old videos. I can still remember most of these highlights like they were yesterday. The purest home run hitter of all time. I was at the game @ NYY when his consecutive game home run streak was broken, July 4, 2002 (the day after the homer off Wells 06:55). He flew out to deep center his last at bat. Oh, and a Yankee killer.
What an amazing player, and such a wonderful guy! I didn't mind so much when he moved on to other teams--I knew he was on the way to the Hall, and he belonged to us. In Cooperstown at his induction, I think he was most moved by his daughter singing the National Anthem. It was a magical day in a true holy place..⚾
Also, the Cleveland Indians of this era is where the "beating each other up at home plate after a walk off" started. See it all the time now, and that's cool....just saying where it started.
Ridiculous (not against the Yankees, just how it worked out) that they kept Andy Pettitte in multiple times against Thome. It make4s sense, lefty vs lefty - but Thome was REEEEALLY good against left handed pitchers, as we see. Great era for my Tribe (Guardians, whatever), and had no known juicers at the time (Manny obviously later). Loved watching them and the Yankees back then too.
Thome hitting in those gnarly Indians lineups with the likes of Manny, Eddie Murray, Albert Belle, Matt Williams, and David Justice was just absurd. As a fan of an AL team, he was the scariest guy to see at the plate in the mid-late 90s.
So many years the Indians had an all-star lineup at every position and they never won the big one but they were exciting to watch and a great new stadium the Jake. And Jim Thome since his start has always been my favorite player I knew how good he was just by watching him when he was a rookie
I'm just disappointed that his 500 and something foot shot to right field that left Jacobs Field isn't in this video. Or maybe it is and I just didn't see it because I stopped watching when he was wearing a Phillies uniform
an aside, but it was so great to hear Harry Kalas' wonderful voice again calling Big Jim's Phillies homers. although he only played 361 games for the Phillies, (not counting his 2012 return), Jim Thome quickly carved a place in Phillies' fans hearts, just as he did around both leagues. even in opponent cities. Thome's Ruthian power was a joy to see first hand. but his class and decency made him even more special. it is hard to believe it's been ten years since his last game, and 19 years since he joined my Phillies. we used to cheer legitimate sluggers like Thome, players that came through the biggest when we needed them the most. unlike the $300 million man we have in right field now. Phillies fans booed Mike Schmidt, the greatest third baseman ever, but cheer a guy that has had one big game winning hit in 3 years. Phillies fans have dropped a long way
Counting stats wise hell yea he had 600+ HRs in the steroid era clean as a whistle lol. Mattingly was a different player (burned brighter for shorter) but I agree they both should be in
A shame he reaches those milestone hit for other teams while most of the work was done in Cleveland. Jim was a great , great ball player...but is an even better human being. I first saw him play in Canton , Oh with Manny with the Akron/ Canton Indians...yes the same Canton as the Football HOF...Akron sits equally between the football and Rock HOF
The fans in Cleveland booed Jim ruthlessly all those years he was on the White Sox and Twins (probably Phillies too assuming they played there in interleague play). Moms and dads, kids, the whole family... All booing as loud and as long as they could every time Jim Thome came up to bat against the Indians. I understand why... And I realize they welcomed him back with open arms with that "Welcome T(Home)" thing they did for him. I have to wonder: When was was back at Philly and then Baltimore the next year, did the fans in Cleveland resort to booing him again? Stay classy, Cleveland. Jim set the bar high; you need to try harder to live up to it. Shame about blowing the Series against the Scrubs.... Blew a 3-1 lead! :(
Phillies fans used to boo, harass, and throw stuff at Mike Schmidt, one of the best all-around 3B the MLB has ever seen, *when he was playing for them.* Indians fans have a long way to go
