What is Frank Thomas’ Net Worth and Salary?
Frank Thomas, also known as “The Big Hurt,” is a retired American pro baseball player with a net worth of $40 million. He became a successful first baseman and designated hitter, mostly playing for the Chicago White Sox in Major League Baseball.
During his 18-year career, Thomas became the only player in history to have seven consecutive seasons with a .300 batting average, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored, 100 walks, and 20 home runs. He struggled with a number of injuries throughout his career, including notable foot issues, which limited him to being a designated hitter in his final years.
Despite his injuries, Thomas broke numerous records, including White Sox franchise records for career home runs, RBI, runs, doubles, extra-base hits, walks, slugging average, and on-base percentage. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 and the White Sox eventually created a statue in his honor at US Cellular Field.
Perhaps the greatest honor Frank enjoyed was never being associated with any scandals involving performance-enhancing drugs. In an era where virtually everyone was on steroids, he was never even remotely suspected of taking part, and he was an advocate for drug testing during this period.
Early Life and College Career
Frank Edward Thomas Jr. was born on May 27th, 1968 in Columbus, Georgia. He played both football and baseball in high school and had a batting average of .440 by his senior year. However, he was not selected in the 1986 amateur draft for baseball.
Frank accepted a football scholarship with Auburn University but showed interest in joining the baseball team. Coach Hal Baird recognized his potential and Frank established a batting average of .359 as a freshman. He eventually switched entirely to playing baseball and Auburn continued to fund him.
Frank Thomas: A Career of Success and Struggle
In 1989, the Chicago White Sox drafted Frank Thomas, who went on to become one of the best hitters in the game. He consistently finished in the top ten during MVP voting each season. However, in 1997, injury problems began to take their toll on his performances. Regardless, he continued to post positive results until 2005, when the White Sox won the World Series. Though Thomas was not part of the team due to injuries, he helped them reach the finals with his offensive contributions throughout the regular season. After leaving the White Sox, he finished his career with the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Frank Thomas’ Earnings
During his career that spanned from 1990 to 2008, Frank Thomas earned more than $107 million in salary alone. He was also able to earn tens of millions of dollars through different brand endorsements.
Frank Thomas’ Real Estate Ventures
In 2003, Frank Thomas sold his Oak Brook mansion for a record-breaking $7.95 million. The mansion boasts nine bedrooms, 25,000 square feet of living space, a built-in beauty salon, a safe room, a dance floor, and a home theater complete with a ticket booth. However, the mansion was sold again in 2014 for $2.71 million due to financial difficulties faced by the new owners.
In 2007, Frank purchased a $1.799 million residence in Libertyville. However, he recently sold this home in 2020 for $1.36 million, incurring a loss of $440,000. The home features six bedrooms, a home theater, and a built-in trampoline.
In the same year, Frank reportedly purchased a “mega house” in North Barrington, spanning almost 18,000 square feet of living space and featuring Georgian-style construction and a gated community. The exact price of this property is unknown.
