Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Sylbry,

Great ball !!!! Sucks that the authentication program was still up and coming towards the end of Franks career, but at the same time thankful that there was a program for items like that! Love it!

Joe & Jimmy,

I have never seen a Thomas Auburn gamer or Team USA jersey I would love to have one in the collection though as well. I have seen a 1990 #15 Home sox jersey hit the market before...just didn't have the funds needed to be aggressive at it. Oh well. Next time.

Everyone...

Keep those items coming. I will continue to post, just have had quite an erratic schedule for consistency. I'm digging sharing the collection with you guys.

Wade

[GoTigers]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Joel,
You beat me to it.. I'd love to see a Thomas Auburn or Barons jersey. If I ever win the lottery I will have Auburn jersey's of Frank Thomas, Charles Barkley, and Bo Jackson. Three of the greatest athletes in the 3 major sports all from one great University.

[sylbry]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Forgot I had this. Not a Frank gamer but close enough.

Ball from Frank's 500 homer game. Used to have three but sold the other two.

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Throughout Big Frank's 18 year career he understandably changed brands from time to time. When I think of Frank Thomas I think Reebok, but Nike seemed to be a close second. For today's update, I happily present a pair of Game Worn Nike Wristbands that date to the early 2000's (if I'm not mistaken). Enjoy.

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Today's update goes out to Nick. 1990 LVS Frank Thomas GU bat with a nice early signature to accompany it. The bat is uncracked and shows good use. No pine tar and some great grain only helps the eye appeal and presentation of this bat.

[thomecollector]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Ben & Nick...

Great early bats to you both!!!! I love those early career lvs! They look so neat...possibly my favorite models that he used. I alway wonder what those worth bats would say if they could talk. They were THE bat during his MVP years! Really nice additions to the thread guys. Thanks for sharing. Keep em coming! Update coming tomorrow.

Wade

Wade,
Sent you a couple of emails. Waiting to hear back.
Roger

[PwKw13]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

2000 Rawlings 576B ...

[scottanservitz]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

I love this thread. Frank was one of the most feared hitters in my time. Guy was clutch. I purchased this bat off eBay where it didn't sell. Email the seller and come to a price. Who is the seller, you say? Dalton Saberhagen, the son of former KC Royals Bret. Doesn't get any better than that. Love this bat!

[Nnunnari]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Thanks Wade. I've always really enjoyed your collection as Frank was one of my all time favorites.
Who has a '90 Louisville out there, with nothing stamped under his name? I know I've seen one before, any pre '90 bats?

[joelsabi]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

gentlemen great stuff. anyone venture to get a football or baseball item from when he was at Auburn or even seen a Team USA jersey of his?

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Ben & Nick...

Great early bats to you both!!!! I love those early career lvs! They look so neat...possibly my favorite models that he used. I alway wonder what those worth bats would say if they could talk. They were THE bat during his MVP years! Really nice additions to the thread guys. Thanks for sharing. Keep em coming! Update coming tomorrow.

Wade

[Nnunnari]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Great early bat Ben.
Here is my only Thomas bat, I like his Worths from his MVP years.

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

You (and othetrs) might get a laugh out of this story: in the early 1990s, a dealer showed me a C243 LS bat with THOMAS on the barrel, but the number 14 written on the knob. His "story" was that the bat was Frank's from the minor leagues. Reserach showed that the bat was actually a MLB bat...of ANDRES Thomas, a player with Atlanta who wore #14 in the late 1980s.

Dave...

Imagine the potential mix-up trouble that the collecting world would be in IF Andres Thomas chose to be one number north of his 14. How many Frank Thomas LVS #15 bats would be in the hobby!!!! YIKES.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

wade

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

Until Frank signed his Reebok deal, Reebok had yet to break into MLB. So, signing the soon to be 2 time AL MVP to a deal turned out not only timely, but also a learning experience as well!

By 1993 when Big Frank and Reebok came to terms, he stood with a massive frame of 6'5" that carried around 250 lbs worth of raw talent and power. He was (and still is IMO) quite a large man/athlete.

Reebok quickly began dishing out sports garb specific to Frank with their logo on it...baseball cleats, batting gloves, and wristbands. Only problem was that the first shipment of wristbands looked like a watch on Franks arm. The first batch of wristbands that Reebok sent were only a little over 3" in length. By the time Frank got them over his huge hands and adorned them on his wrists, they where less then stylish and, frankly, too small!!!!

Reebok quickly addressed the problem and made a new batch of wristbands that were almost two times the size of the original ones. Below are an example from the two shipments along with a ruler for scale reference. Hope you enjoy!



wade

[WadeInBmore]

Re: Lets see your Frank Thomas GU items!

The year is 1997. Frank Thomas was on another incredible offensive tear. When the dust would settle at the end of the season, the Big Hurt would be finishing in the top ten in just about every batting category, and perhaps this is the reason why he would win the A.L. Batting title this year.

When you stop and look at his actual numbers throughout the season, you can see why this juggernaut of a player was a perennial triple crown contender day in and day out. In 1997, he would finish with a .347 batting average. His slugging percentage would rank him 2nd in th A.L. at .611, averaging a HR every 15.1 at-bats, and ultimately finishing the season with 35 dingers (a number that seems all too fitting).

This Game Used Home pinstriped jersey exhibits good use and is unsigned. Some numerical/tag fading has occured through numberous washes, as well as some thread pulls and number/patch softening. A perfect GU jersey from Frank's batting title year!



wade