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| Frank Edward Thomas (born May 27, 1968 in Columbus, Georgia) is an American Major League Baseball player for the Oakland Athletics. Thomas became one of baseball's biggest stars in the 1990s, playing for the Chicago White Sox. Thomas has two nicknames. He was given the nickname "The Big Hurt" by broadcaster Ken Harrelson, who coined the term in the 1992 season. Upon his signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, many fans referred to Thomas as "Frank The Tank", in reference to the character Frank "The Tank" Ricard, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Old School. Frank Thomas is known, not only for his menacing home run power, but also for striking fear in the competition by swinging a rusted rebar (reportedly found during a renovation project in Old Comiskey Park) in the on-deck circle. Thomas is one of several notable baseball players who played college baseball at Auburn University, such as Bo Jackson, who was a teammate of Thomas in the major leagues. He also played tight end for the school's football team. Thomas has hit over 500 career home runs, thus making him a strong candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame when eligible. Thomas is part of an elite group as one of only four players in baseball history to have at least a .300 average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks in a career. The others are Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Source: Wikipedia |