“Big Hurt” Frank Thomas Interview: Baseball to Fashion MVP

‘fredward Shawnee TSC news. We have right here via Skype of very special guest. He’s a true baseball legend a first-ballot hall-of-famer and now he is making his way into the fashion game Frank Thomas how you doing sir doing great. Now, before we get to MVP and everything you’re doing in the world of fashion how’s the life after baseball playing on the field Ben tree Nia. It’s been great. You know, I’ve been very blessed to leave the field and continue to have exposure to have opportunities. And I have to have a 19-year career. I just think it was great just to stay in touch with people to stay visible through TV programs and everything else possible.

I’m lucky. I’d never turn any of that stuff down for it and you’re obviously a Ogier baseball player, but you’ve been able to connect with people on the field off the field with your charisma. You got that kind of it factor if I was like a pro wrestling promoter, I would have wanted to sign you in the 90s had you not gotten into baseball would you have gotten into any type of show business down the road probably not I would go to coach. I want to come something something I don’t know what sport, but I would have been a coach because I love football basketball and baseball, you know, I just grew up in a sports area down in South Georgia and all we did to stay out of trouble is force 24/7.

You are an iconic white sox player and I talked to move on about this as well. I mean, the gear, you know, the White Sox logo the big hurt merchandise. Did you realize the type of impact. You were making. Well, I was impressed back in the early 90s when we switched logos from that early qc2 the Sox black and white logo, it took off instantly from all the rap rap groups rap cliques everybody thought it was cool because it wasn’t good-looking logo. I think they nailed it and it’s to the point now, they don’t think they can ever change it because you’ve had a lot of rappers and videos and everything else with that kind of now Sox logo, which was big because it was all about the Cubs in Chicago until then and nowadays video game cultures.

I mean, huge I’m sure you’ve seen it, you know, with the kids or everything else at madden and MLB the show and everything else. But what was it like for you back in a day to have your own video game to be able to play yourself, you know, it was pretty funny bigger baseball and I remember doing that here in New York City under the old studios here when they put the bulbs all over and everything didn’t know what was gonna turn out to be, but it was the first game of his kind and it was a success for the kids because you know, watching those old school movements because now you look at it’s like whatever it looks real now for real.

But you know, back then it was like a little slower dabba they captured all the motion sensors. So I was blessed, man. I really enjoyed that. And that’s pretty cool. And now let’s talk a little bit about your new MVP line you’re working with Mo Vaughn. Of course, you’re rockin some that right now here on screen tell us about getting into the fashion game? Well, more Leben for is a very long time it started in college and a continuum in the Cape Cod League and then when we got to the major leagues together was unbelievable. We shared a lot of moments, you know, we could get under each other’s skin all the time.

It was just great to have that camaraderie because there was no eagle there. We wanted both of us to do well, I remember he broke in with the Red Sox. I was so happy I got a little earlier than him and just knew the same talent and the force. We were at the plate and a lot of people asked a lot of questions about him like don’t miss, you know, in the pictures this guy can hit. He can hurt you really badly and some of them will hard-headed they found out the hard way, but more and I was I had a blast with it because we love to compete and together now competing together and trying to bring a brand to life that the world wants and there’s a big void there and I just had a good part his team because Moe and Diane really brought this thing in life before me.

I’m just here to help enhance this thing and take the cup taken to another level. There’s a lot of big and tall stores and you know, but there’s not a whole lot of variety or if you get something that fits you it doesn’t always look good. So, how have you guys been able to so far bridge the gap between having something that actually fits and looks good. I’ve been exclusive, you know, DXL shopper Rogers a big Intel for many many years years and you’re right? That what you go in and find is all cardboard cutouts big t-shirts big shoes. No styles, no patterns nothing sexy.

And I like to use that word with this brand. It’s going to be sexy from a big man because big men are sexy and it’s something that you’re gonna look forward to go into a big and tall shop or online and see something that hey, I look good in. And I think that’s that what MVPs gonna bring to table. How did you feel the void following baseball great job. Just setting up at the end of my career to be involved other things. I’ve never been shy about he’s been happy-go-lucky and I just mean I’ve always been involved kids charities just everything I always kept myself busy.

So, it’s been an easy adjustment for me because I’ve stayed just as visible now as if I was on the pill. I’m like nowadays. I walked in Airport everybody said, hey, there’s mr. Jennings, you know, instead of Frank Thomas a baseball player. So, I feel very fortunate those things and now they’re gonna seamen on this hot MVP gear everywhere, you know, but the worst of spray fast because Diane is doing incredible job. You know, with her ability to put these patterns together. And then really like I said earlier make the big man sexy and I’m gonna do everyday. I’m like a walking billboard. I love it.

Awesome. Now, of course, have transitioned to a very successful media career as well. But I think it’s no surprise you’ve been great on TV, but I would imagine it did have its challenges initially. I mean, you’re as a player, I’m sure there were times or there’s a sports writer or an analyst. We’re like, oh man, what an idiot. I can’t believe they said that and all of a sudden you’re kind of on that other side. So, what’s the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make going from player to baseball media. Well, baseball season, that’s one thing about baseball the season is so long. So, the media can put that microphone here pays 162 games not like the other sports.

So you’re not gonna be on your P’s and Q’s every day you’re gonna make some mistakes and we all been guilty making mistakes, but I look at it now that I try to keep the Avenue in the positive light as an analyst because trust me. I went through it all with the media, you know, the good days the bad days, the crazy stories. I mean, the part of the media is to create stories. And when you play really well for a very long time, you will become a target and I was a target for a long time I’m proud of that, you know, I had a very successful career over time in BP, which no pun intended.

This is why there’s such America of a match made in heaven. There’s been an NDP helping others, you know, inspiring others and that’s what I’ve always been about your former MVP Mo Vaughn a former MVP very few. People can call themselves that and their respective sports he used to subscribe what it’s like to attain that achievement and to be the most valuable player in the entire league. It’s great. I had it back-to-back run. And then mold you upset me the year 3. And I tell you what was I was bad at it because we were at each other and we loved it. But I’m so happy when he want it because you know, that’s the type of they said, we’ve always had.

And if somebody’s gonna be different MVP. It had to be Bovard and I won first guys are called naturally congratulating and you’re obscene iconic player in Chicago. You also have a World Series ring you’re in the Hall of Fame not everybody gets to have all those things if you could start out your career again in a magic gene. You said, okay, okay Frank you can either have a Hall of Fame career or be a part of a World Series winning team. What would you pick. I think most Hall of Famers get to experience a ring, but I would definitely want the ring maybe that you play to win every day the Hall of Fame is just something no one sets out to say I want to be a hall-of-famer you figure that type of thing out like 10 12 years into the league when you look at your numbers and compare yourself to the other Greeks that’s when that type of talk starts.

But coming in the league or the first decade. You’re all about winning that ring. So, I think the ring is first Hall of Fame is secondary when you become great at something they say when you become great. It’s almost to the point where you make it look easy whether you’re on TV or being a great baseball player, what would you say in both as baseball media. And as a great baseball player are the biggest misconception something that you coming into it. You didn’t realize like, oh man. I really gotta just to get to that highest level. It’s not work, you know, I was the first to come and last leaving baseball where I put my hours in and now on TV.

I do the same thing you have to do your homework, you have to watch. I watch baseball 24/7 because you have to keep up and when you get on TV. You got to be able to say yeah, I saw that you know, you don’t want people bringing things to you that you didn’t you know you missed out on and try to talk about it on TV when you’re not watching baseball 24/7, let’s just say it’s the offseason you what you want to get away even even I’m sure big hurt use a break from baseball time. What’s your favorite way to decompress and chill out young kids.

So I get involved their life. And I’ve been blessed I have six kids and ranging from the age of 26 to two and a half. So they keep me young they really keep it young in my 26 year old try to control my life the young ones are always trying to, you know, make me do things. So I stay young I try to get all the rest I can because you know, I started over again with a young family and I’m proud of that because it keeps me busy and keeps me active we got a few fan questions here. Some some rapid-fire once you ready?

Sure. What was it like training with Michael Jordan? Well, you know what you’ve seen it all, but you talked about rock star persona. I’ve never seen someone come to practice and it’s 12,000 people out there just trying to get it under eye on him and everything else. So, it was great. And what was great about it and he wanted really want to play baseball. He wanted to learn. So, it was a gym rat, you know, playing basketball, but he was a cage rattling in baseball. He stayed out there with us trying to get every possible to get better. Was it a blessing and a curse to play in the same air as him in the 90s in Chicago because on one hand, it’s awesome.

By the other hand you’re sure he got the pressure for the media like the Bulls are doing great learned the White Sox do the same thing. I don’t think was a curse. It was one of those things that I was held at a higher level because of Michael Jordan and you couldn’t say, you were great. Unless you try to achieve things that he did. So, it was tough at times, but it gave me an edge because I knew who were the greatest athlete was on the planet and I happened to have him in the same city. So I had to go out and perform I was obsessed with former pitching is of course a huge.

It’s always been huge, but I mean, especially these days. It’s pretty prominent. Do you think if you were playing in your prime in today’s game, you would still put the fear of God in pitchers because I had a plan almost every guy throws ball 95 miles an hour. I’m not gonna be the guy see they’re trying to turn that around and pull it. I mean, if he doesn’t throw 95, I’m gonna hit the right field all day long and I had that power, right? Deal. So nothing will change with my game. I just would be a lot smarter and pick my battle and choose my battles with certain pitchers, if you could change.

One thing about baseball today, you know, to make it better either at a TV product or something on the field, what would it be I’m gonna stop the shifting and I’m gonna make sure we get back to slide into second base and take our slides at home plate because I think some of the excitement from the game has changed you’re not trying to hurt people. I mean a different rule. I don’t mean not allowed to try to hurt someone, but you got to be able to slide in the home plate and knock the ball away from the catcher because that kills, excitement baseball you were one of the first people purchase a pioneer of speaking out against peds of back in your day and you still do to this day.

But you’ve also been quoted as saying, you know what there’s people that I play to played with played against I know for a fact did do stuff there in the Hall of Fame. So you might as well let the other players are they’re linked in the Hall of Fame when do you think we’re finally at the likes of say Roger Clemens Barry Bonds guys. I have been linked to peds in the Hall of Fame. We talk about it’s like people have got so consumed with it over the last 20 years. It’s like it’s got it in sometime. I mean, Major League Baseball did everything possible to clean it up, but you just need a type of carrot the money-wise guys gonna make mistakes, you know, guys didn’t grow up rich, you know, guys want to be rich.

So, you got to hold people accountable for that. But you know, I’m not one of these people don’t hold grudges for the rest of my life because guys made mistakes long as they clean it up and admit to it. I got no problem with it. You’ve been somebody in MO the same way that they haven’t you guys haven’t put yourselves in a box, but there’s a lot of times, whether it be media or some fans they say, oh one of these guys just, you know, folks on baseball focus on different sports they’re doing a little too much you’ll off the field and you’re some have been very successful in whatever you put your mind to how did you how are you able to kind of pull yourself out of a box, you know, not be pigeonholed and be successful at everything.

Well, kind of maintain that focus in baseball. I’m just a hard worker man, you know, baseball really came easy to me, but there’s a lot of hard work. But off the field stuff inspiring people being part of brands. And doing things like that. It just came back for me, I don’t think I’ve never taken myself that serious and most guys get good full themselves I’m the same guy from South Georgia who comes as a smile and talks to everyone that I’ve never changed. I think that’s just people attracted me because of that. I’ve been a happy-go-lucky got my whole life. And I talk to everyone and I’ve never felt I’ve never tried to put myself like above everybody else I’ve ever done that.

So I think that’s worked well for me throughout my life who’s the funniest player you’ve shared a locker room with Tim Raines. Who is that one do you have any stories that are funniest guy ever like he’s playing left field, I throw a ball away. He’s a left who’s left laughing, you know, put a glove just laughing at you poured out you stuff like that you strike out. He comes back though. You throw a body he’s laughing. So it was one of those guys who, but he’s very when he came to play in the game, but he knew how to keep guys loose. It was just a natural ability for him.

And that’s why we always want a lot because he kept the clubhouse loose a lot of great players are different some say? Yeah, I don’t look at the numbers at all others, you know, will claim my Brussels Westbrook like make sure. He’s got a triple-double or anything like that yet 521 career home runs in the back your mind where it was that ever like a factor do you rewrite. Okay, that’s 500 or that’s that one. No, I was a hitter I cared about getting hit every time hit turned into homeruns. That’s why you saw me always used the whole field because I was greedy in that way that I wanted to get hit every at-bat it didn’t matter what type of hit it.

Well, as I just want to get a hit. What’s the best piece of advice you give anybody for success? Just to stay focused and believe and give it 110%. That’s all you can ask yourself. Wise words from a wise man. Before we let you go, where can we find more information about MVP and the big hurt and everything. You got going on these days? Well, Macy’s online king size itself. We’re available everywhere and this is going to grow. We’re just happy to bring the big styles for the big man. And then keep it sexy for the big man because the limitations are over now with MVP in the game, thank you so much for your time.

Man. Thanks for having me. Buddy.