Frank Thomas wants everyone to know that he is well. And alive, too.
The Big Hurt, the White Sox’ first-ballot Hall of Famer who has remained in the public eye in broadcasting, was mistakenly included by Fox News in an “in memoriam” video Friday morning.
“Ladies and Gentlemen I’m very sorry my ex employer Fox would be this irresponsible on National TV this morning,” Thomas posted, along with a smiling selfie from the driver’s seat of a vehicle. “Yes I’m alive and doing well. This blows my mind also.”
Frank Thomas, a three-time All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1950s, died this year at 93. Fox anchor Julie Banderas apologized for the mistake on The Faulkner Focus Friday after airing a video showing prominent figures who died this year. It featured The Big Hurt during his playing career and a clip of his Hall of Fame induction.
“We misidentified Frank Thomas, the three-time All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates,” Banderas said. “The Frank Thomas we showed you unfortunately was also a former pro baseball player. He is very much alive.”
Thomas was very much active doing Sox pregame and postgame work with Ozzie Guillen and Chuck Garfien for NBC Sports Chicago last season. He worked for Fox from 2014 till last April. He joined Friday Night Baseball coverage team for Apple TV+ this year.
Thomas played from 1990 to 2008, all but the last three seasons with the Sox.
