Fastball

Former Chicago White Sox Star Says He's Alive After Embarrassing Network Gaffe

Earlier on Friday, Fox News put up a graphic that incorrectly identified Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas as having died in 2023. Thomas has responded on social media that he is alive and well.
Brady Farkas|
Former Chicago White Sox Star Says He's Alive After Embarrassing Network Gaffe
Former Chicago White Sox Star Says He's Alive After Embarrassing Network Gaffe

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Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas put out a statement on social media on Friday saying that he was alive and well.

Why? Because earlier in the day, Fox News put up an incorrect graphic on television saying that Thomas had died in 2023.

Per Thomas:

Ladies and Gentlemen I’m very sorry my ex employer Fox would be this irresponsible on National TV this morning. Yes I’m alive and doing well. This blows my mind also.

While doing a year-end "In Memorium" segment, Fox News put up a graphic, with a picture, saying that Thomas had died. They used a picture of the Frank Thomas nicknamed the "Big Hurt," for the segment. That was the incorrect Frank Thomas, though. A former big leaguer named Frank Thomas did die back in January, but it was not the Hall of Famer.

You can see more coverage of the event and Fox's subsequent correction here, from Awful Announcing.

The Thomas who did pass played from 1951-1966 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and Milwaukee Braves. He was a three-time All-Star who hit 30 home runs back in 1953 and 35 in 1958.

The more familiar Thomas is now 55-years old and spent 19 years in the big leagues with the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics. He was a five-time All-Star, a two-time MVP, a four-time Silver Slugger and a batting champion.

He hit .301 for his career and had 521 home runs. 

Thomas used to be a baseball analyst for Fox Sports, which relates to the "my ex-employer" comment in his statement.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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