Frank Thomas, one of the greatest sluggers of the last two decades, announced his retirement from baseball on Friday.
"I'm happy with this announcement, and I'm at peace with it," he said at a press conference on Friday morning in Chicago. "I had one heck of a career."
Thomas, nicknamed 'The Big Hurt,' spent most of his career with the Chicago White Sox, where he still holds team records for runs scored, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage and a number of other offensive categories.
A two-sport athlete in college, he made his big-league debut with the Sox in 1990. Thomas quickly established himself as a force in the league, winning American League MVP awards in 1993 and 1994. Though he was a skilled defensive player, he spent most of his years at first base, and did his most spectacular work at the plate. He won the Home Run Derby in 1995, the batting title in 1997, and was selected to the All-Star game in five consecutive seasons, from 1993 to 1997. In 2005, he won the World Series with the White Sox, despite being inactive in the postseason due to injury.
Though he was very successful in Chicago throughout his sixteen-year career with the Sox, he had his ups and downs with the fans, and left the city on less than amiable terms. After Thomas told members of the press that he was unhappy about how he was released from the team, White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams called him an "idiot," saying, "That's why we don't miss him." The two have since reconciled.
He spent the last four seasons of his career with the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays. The A's released him as a free agent at the end of the 2008 season, and he has not played baseball since.
At a press conference on Friday, Thomas made his retirement official. He will end his career tied for 18th on the all-time home run list, and will be remembered as one of the great clean hitters in the steroid era.
Ozzie Guillen, current White Sox manager and longtime teammate of The Hurt, told the Sun-Times: "He did it when a lot of guys were doing it the wrong way. He did it clean. He worked his ass off to get where he is."
Speculation about Thomas and the Hall of Fame has already begun, although much of the discussion seems not to be on "if" but "when." He will be eligible for his first Hall ballot in 2014.
For now, though, he plans to concentrate on spending more time with his family. "I've been away [from baseball] 14 months, spending time with my family," he said. "It shows you there are things more important than being an entertainer out on the field."