Jim Thome Baseball HOF Stats Bat

The numbers jump off the page when it comes to Jim Thome, even in an era where power reigned supreme. His 612 home runs rank eighth on Major League Baseball’s all-time list, and his 1,747 walks rank seventh. Only six players have totaled at least 1,700 walks and 1,699 RBI: Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Barry Bonds and Thome. And yet Thome, the blue-collar boy from Peoria, Ill., always seemed to work hardest at something that could never be quantified: His character.

“It’s awesome and humbling to be mentioned with some of the biggest names who ever played,” Thome said.