MLB legend Frank Thomas announced in a post on Friday that he is “alive and doing well” after Fox News mistakenly included him in an “In Memoriam” montage.
The tribute video, which honored celebrities and other prominent figures who died in 2023, included highlights of the two-time MVP during his playing days with the White Sox. The text “Frank Thomas 1968-2023,” later appeared as an on-air graphic next to footage of Thomas, as captured by Justin Baragona of The Daily Beast below.
As it later turned out, Fox News mistakenly featured the wrong ex-player named Frank Thomas in their montage. Instead, the channel meant to honor the former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder, an All-Star during the 1950s, who died this past January at 93 years old.
The incorrect tribute, which confused many at first, led to “The Big Hurt” issuing the following post on X.
Thomas, 54, was one of the MLB’s most prolific power hitters during his career that spanned two decades. When all was said and done, the Auburn product hit .301/.419/.555 with 521 home runs, 1,704 RBI, five All-Star Game selections, four Silver Slugger Awards, and nine Top 10 finishes in the AL MVP voting, including his back-to-back wins in 1993 and 1994.
Thomas was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, receiving 83.7 percent of the vote. That same year, he joined Fox Sports as a studio analyst for MLB on Fox. In April 2023, it was announced that Thomas was being replaced by Derek Jeter on the program.
According to Baragona, Fox News anchor Julie Bandera later apologized for the mistake during The Faulkner Focus on Friday, noting that the elder MLB player who shared the same name was meant to be honored.
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