Hall of Fame
Jim Thome is a 2018 member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Peoria, Illinois native played both baseball and basketball his freshman year at Illinois Central College out of high school. He was drafted after just one season by Cleveland in the 1989 MLB Draft, playing for six teams in his 22-year major league career. Thome hit 612 home runs, eighth-most all time, along with 2,328 hits, 1,699 runs batted in (RBI), and a .276 batting average. Thome was a member of five MLB All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger Award in 1996. Recognized for his integrity, sportsmanship and community involvement, Thome received the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2001 and 2004, the 2002 Roberto Clemente Award, the 2004 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, and 2011 Brooks Robinson Community Service Award.
As a result of Thome’s impact on Illinois Central College and dedication to baseball, Illinois Central honored the 1989 alumnus on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, naming the baseball and softball fields after him. Currently, Thome is working in the Chicago White Sox front office. Thome was also named the President of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) in February of 2022.
