Oops I'm Gonna Do It Again

[Guest Edgy DC]

Before the McMillan question, I got it down to 19 fellers.

Jerry Buchek
Chris Cannizzaro
Cliff Cook
Billy Cowan
John DeMerit
Shaun Fitzmaurice
Tim Foli
Rick Herrscher
Don Hahn
Jim Hickman
Rod Kanehl
Phil Linz
Bobby Pfeil
Jimmy Piersall
Bobby Gene Smith
Dick Smith
Ron Swoboda
Hawk Taylor
Frank Thomas

[Benjamin Grimm]

sharpie wrote: Was Roy McMillan his teamate?

YES

[Guest Edgy DC]

Was he born south of the Mason-Dixon Line, as it imaginarily extends across the country?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: Was he born south of the Mason-Dixon Line, as it imaginarily extends across the country?

NO.

[metirish]

Did he sign with the Mets out of High School or College?

[Benjamin Grimm]

metirish wrote: Did he sign with the Mets out of High School or College?

NO.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Does his surname begin with a T?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: Does his surname begin with a T?

YES

[Guest Edgy DC]

Does his name rhyme with "Rank Llamas?"

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: Does his name rhyme with "Rank Llamas?"

I have a feeling you've figured it out.

YES.

[Elster88]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: ="metirish"]Did he sign with the Mets out of High School or College? NO.

HAHAHAHA.

"Dammit stop wasting our questions"

[metirish]

What's wrong with that question?

[Benjamin Grimm]

It was a yes-no question, but I think Elster read it as an either-or and thought I gave a smartass response.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Welcome Frank Thomas!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: Welcome Frank Thomas!

DINGDINGDINGDING!

You've figured it out. (Now you see why I couldn't reliably search on "Frank Thomas" to see what his current job might be.)

Anyway, Frank has self-published his autobiography, and his ghost writer has been in contact with me. Frank would like to drop by to talk with us and help spread the word about his book.

I have a link at home to the page from which the book can be ordered; I'll paste it here tonight or tomorrow. It's available from the Philadelphia Athletics' web site.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Egg-celent.

[Elster88]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: It was a yes-no question, but I think Elster read it as an either-or and thought I gave a smartass response.

Oh crap. Yeah I did. My bad. Wow I'm really getting smacked around (deservedly) today.

[Willets Point]

And Mackey Sasser too.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The link to Frank Thomas' book:

http://www.philadelphiaathletics.org/cgi-local/cart.pl?IT=booksthom

[nymr83]

]You've figured it out. (Now you see why I couldn't reliably search on "Frank Thomas" to see what his current job might be.)

wow, i cant believe i didnt figure that out on the spot.

[Centerfield]

Dear Frank,

How tough was it to have to sit out the World Series after having been such a productive player all those years?

Did you know you and Jeff Bagwell have the same birthday?

Did you juice? Some people think your injuries are a result of prolonged steroid use.

Did you notice there were no black players on the Astros?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Some questions for Frank Thomas:

1) You were known as a dead pull hitter. Did they ever try an infield shift against you?
________________

2) You switched teams eight times between 1959 and 1966. What was going on there? What was it about your game that made GMs think if you as tradeable? Was it because they could try fit you in at so many different positions?
________________

3) You were famous for claiming that you could catch anybody's hardest throw barehanded.

3a) It is said that you always lived up to this claim. Is that true?

3b) At what distance did you catch them?

3c) Who was the hardest thrower you caught barehanded?

3d) Did this have anything to do with you breaking your thumb in 1964?
________________

4) Casey Stengel --- idiot, genius, or both? Now that you're in your seventies, do you understand him better?
________________

5) This is a sensitive one. Playing your whole career in the National League, your era was an era of aggressive integration, can you describe what the general atmosphere was like?

5a) Even for players without a racial animus, it must have been difficult as African-American players regularly won the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards through the fifties, and got the subsequent publicity. Is this accurate?

5b) Were there racial issues between yourself and Richie Allen? Or was it, as reported, merely horseplay that got out of hand? There are certainly accounts that say Allen divided the team on racial lines.

5c) Did you and Allen ever subsequently try to square things? And do you think this was a good look for him?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I heard back from Frank Thomas' ghost writer this morning. He's going to talk to Frank later today and see if he wants to wade into the Pool.

[Valadius]

Frank Thomas, eh?

Sweet. How old is he now?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I heard from the author of Frank's book again today. His CPF visit may be days away. If anybody cares to pose any additional questions, please do so.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I have his book at home. I'll do some quick reading.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Okay, here's how this is going to work. Frank Thomas doesn't use the Internet, so he himself won't be here. Ronnie Joyner, who ghost-authored Frank's recent autobiography, will be our guest instead. He's going to phone interview Frank with our questions, and then he'll appear here with the answers. I'm going to direct him to the "Questions for Frank Thomas" thread which I more or less spun off from this one.

Like Edgy, I also have an unread copy of the book. I plan to get to it soon, probably in January.

This may be a landmark week on the CPF for me. I made it to the song parody finals, Steve Zabriskie actually showed up, and I've learned that the Frank Thomas thing is still alive. If Joe Christopher were here, everything would be perfect and I'd be able to turn my attention to Mackey Sasser.

[Elster88]

I guess this means no more pictures of people in agony?

Great work, Yancy.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Good job Yancy!

[metirish]

Good stuff Yancy.