AUBURN, Ala. – While fans roared "War Eagle," Frank Thomas helped lift a covering to reveal his statue at Plainsman Park.
"Thank you," Thomas said, applauding at the likeness before placing his hand over heart. "I'm honored."
With former baseball and football teammates among the attendees, Auburn honored the SEC's only member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Saturday, first in a ceremony at the Tiger Walk Club in Jordan-Hare Stadium, then across Heisman Drive outside the ballpark where his legend began.
"To see that statue, it really brought a tear to my eye because it is perfect," Thomas told reporters shortly after the unveiling. "Absolutely perfect. They nailed it. And it looks like me in college, not in the pros."
A steady rain did not diminish Thomas' smile as he took pictures with family, friends, Auburn baseball coaches past and present in Hal Baird and Butch Thompson, and the 2023 Tigers.
"Rain doesn't bother me," said Thomas, who starred for Auburn from 1987-89. "I'm a baseball player. I played many games in the rain."
'They nailed it': Frank Thomas reacts to seeing his statue
Auburn University president Dr. Chris Roberts might have attended one of those games when Thomas began his fall of fame career with the Chicago White Sox. While pursuing his chemical engineering doctorate at Notre Dame in the early 1990s, Roberts took the train from South Bend, Indiana, to the Windy City to see the American League's MVP in 1993 and 1994.
"Frank Thomas was the standard bearer for me when it came to Auburn University," Roberts told several hundred guests at the event preceding the unveiling before addressing Thomas directly. "You were the person who put in my mind that Auburn stood for excellence."
Auburn athletics director John Cohen competed against Thomas in the SEC when Cohen played for Mississippi State.
"We got to witness a generational level of excellence that rarely exists in college athletics," said Cohen, noting that Thomas is one of four players in MLB history to total 500 home runs, 1,600 walks and a .300 batting average. "Only 12 people have ever walked on the moon. In my opinion, in so many ways, Frank, you're our Neil Armstrong. Thank you for going to the moon and thank you for taking Auburn University with you."
Frank Thomas and Hal Baird
Baird, Auburn's winningest coach with 634 victories, noted Frank's bat speed, hand-eye coordination, size and athleticism, but said physical gifts told only part of the Frank Thomas story.
"His competitive spirit and his will to win," Baird said. "Winning was very important to him and when he was at Auburn, we won. His mind worked in a way like no young baseball player I had ever seen."
Thompson, in his continuing quest to promote Auburn baseball, identified the statue as foundational for the next step in the program's ascendance.
"To get to a day like this marks exponential growth and I know the best is yet to come," Thompson said. "Our players, through their highest of highs of Omaha and through their grind of tough days, have examples. Frank, you're another example for us all. For our student-athletes, for our university, for our future generations."
The Thomas family
With his wife, Megan, and six children seated nearby, Thomas concluded the ceremony, beginning by asking his teammates to stand to be acknowledged.
"I'm so humbled, grateful and thankful for this distinct honor," Thomas said. "I never imagined any of this when I started chasing my dream here at Auburn University.
"At Auburn I became a man. I was so blessed to have coaches who pushed me to new heights and instilled toughness and a will to win that I never knew existed until then.
"Auburn set me on a path to my hall of fame career that resulted from hard work, dedication and commitment. I learned there that there are no shortcuts to success and I carry that lesson with me today.
"I want to thank the Auburn family for doing this for me. God is good and I'm so proud of this moment."
⚾️ @TheBigHurt_35 statue unveiled at Plainsman Park.
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) April 8, 2023
"Thank you. I'm honored," says the @AuburnBaseball legend.#WarEagle I #Legacy pic.twitter.com/pXBwZG3J7U
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer