White Sox to retire Big Hurt's #35

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For some reason, I feel like Frank Thomas never gets the AU-pub he deserves. Good to see this move from the White Sox...

Sox name Frank Thomas team ambassador, to retire No. 35

By Scot Gregor | Daily Herald

White Sox general manager Kenny Williams has been in the news much of the season for not playing nice with manager Ozzie Guillen.

Well, any rift between Williams and Guillen pales in comparison to the verbal scraps Williams had with Frank Thomas in 2006.

Thomas was angry about being replaced by Jim Thome after the Sox won the World Series, and Williams unloaded on the best hitter in franchise history the following spring.

At the time, Thomas appeared to have zero chance of ever returning to the White Sox family, but Williams told the Daily Herald last June that he called Thomas to extend an olive branch.

The healing process that began 13 months ago continued Tuesday when the Sox announced Thomas is returning to the club as an ambassador.

"Time heals all wounds," Thomas said. "It's a part of being a great player. I spent 16 long years here and unfortunately the partings are never nice.

"But eventually I thought I'd be back here in some capacity. It just takes time. Things have worked out. Kenny and I have sat down and talked and had a good time talking out things and we understand each other."

Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf made the biggest push for Thomas' return.

"Frank Thomas is one of the greatest offensive players in major-league baseball history and, without question, one of the greatest players in our franchise's long history," Reinsdorf said in a statement. "It is with great pleasure that we formally welcome Frank back to the White Sox family."

The 42-year-old Thomas has been working as a Comcast SportsNet analyst for Sox home games this season, but he's looking forward to beginning his new assignment.

"It's a great day," Thomas said. "I've been in this organization for so long. Everything went so fast. I tell people I look at it now, it's like yesterday, and I'm walking through this dugout right here, looking ready for my next at-bat.

"But when it's over it's good to be acknowledged by the organization. We've done a lot of talking over the past year. Things are great now."

As an ambassador, Thomas will make appearances on behalf of the White Sox and serve as a team representative in the community and throughout baseball.

"Whatever they need me to do," Thomas said. "They want me to help with players. They want me to help with fundraisers, whatever else. I'm just part of the organization."

On Aug. 29, it's going to be "Frank Thomas Day" at U.S. Cellular Field when the Sox play the New York Yankees. Thomas' uniform No. 35 will be retired.

"I'm really honored by that," Thomas said. "Things come full circle. I put in a lot of work here. There was a lot of (crud) here, but it's all worth it.

"I've played between these lines with everything I had, and it's a great, great honor to be on the wall with these guys."

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=396700&src=162