Jim Thome

Jim Thome, a retired Major League Baseball player, made his debut on September 4, 1991, with the Cleveland Indians. He quickly established himself as a power hitter, leading the International League in 1993 with a .332 batting average and 102 RBIs, complemented by 25 home runs. Thome's career highlights include setting a Cleveland Indians' single-season record with 52 home runs in 2002 and joining the 500 home run club in 2007. His 600th career home run, hit on August 15, 2011, made him the eighth player to achieve that milestone.

In recognition of his stellar career, Thome was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. He also holds an executive position with the Chicago White Sox and serves as an analyst for MLB Network. In 2022, he took up the mantle of president of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, succeeding Brooks Robinson. His number 25 was retired by the Cleveland Indians in 2018, and he is a featured member on the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame. Thome is also the Cleveland Indians/Guardians' all-time leader in home runs, walks, and strikeouts.

Thome is not only known for his athletic achievements, but also for his philanthropic efforts, which include a donation of $100,000 to help with tornado relief in 2013. He received the Roberto Clemente Award in 2002 and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 2004, both of which acknowledge his contributions to the community and the sport. He won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2001 and 2004, and in 2019, a youth baseball field in Cleveland was named the 'Jim Thome All-Star Complex' in his honor.