Jim Thome Appearance

I hate to reply to my own post, but I wanted to late everyone know what a great evening this was. I've never met a superstar who is more humble or who cares so much about the kids that are there to see him.
Here are pictures of Jim's appearance: http://imageevent.com/midillini/tho0118

Here's video of his pre-clinic press conference: http://annika-sonya-samuelson.net/RES/vid/JTin.wmv

And here's audio only for thos who are on dial-up: http://annika-sonya-samuelson.net/RES/vid/JTinaud.wmv

The pictures and video were put together by my good friend Bob Samuelson, a retired gent who loves to take pictures and play with technology. We're very fortunate to have him as a sports fan in the Peoria-area and as a baseball fan.

Looks like good stuff Ben....
Thanks..

The guy plays the game the right way. I watched a lot of games, and went to a few; and I don't think that I ever saw him not hustle. He runs out everything.

quote:

He runs out everything.

You mean "trots".

Ben_Diggle,

Thanks a million for posting this. All ages should take the time and check this out. This is a rare opportunity to get a relative candid view of a MLB superstar. There is a lot of inside insight and wisdom peppered throughout this interview. I love his humility. This is baseball!

Check out the still pictures… I love the faces. You gotta love picture #41 of the kid with the Pijolos 5 jersey. Mrs. Smokey is from Bloomington and a rabid Cardinals fan.

Truly Great Stuff… Thanks!

GO GO SOX!

quote:

Originally posted by BeenthereIL:

quote:

He runs out everything.

You mean "trots".

yes

If you look real close at the hitting pictures, he's not cutting it loose at all. He's not locked out on his front heel like he does, etc. But towards the end he starts pounding balls into our back wall. So I amble down there the next time he does it sounds like the air is one fire as the ball travels past.

But the coolest thing was afterwards, when it was just Jim and his family and our staff. And Jim asked me to set up the softball machine so he could watch his niece, who is currently a freshman at Washington High School, hit. He'd never seen her hit. I'd worked with her once before and what I didn't tell him was that her swing was nearly identical to his. She gets easily frustrated, but when she hits, it's eerily reminiscent of Jim.

So I feed her the first round of balls and Jim comes in the cage to help pick them up. And while she's at the other end, under his breath, Jim says to me "I'll you the truth, she reminds me of me."

But she starts to get frustrated and Jim gently begins to break down her swing. Identifies that her hands are starting late, her hips aren't getting through. So he moves her back foot closer to the plate to open her up a little more and reminds her to get her hands going quicker.

And then he boots me out of the cage, pulls up an L-screens, sits down on a bucket behind it and starts to feed her balls by hand. Before you know it, this girl is hammering balls back up the middle and Jim is cringing behind the L-screen as they clang off the front.

But the most telling thing I saw about the man's humility was when Coach Schlemmer pulled out some old photos. And there's one of Jim standing in the barbershop in Metamora, a skinny 6-foot-4, 180-pound just drafted out of Illinois Central College by the Indians. It turns out that Kenny the Barber asked Coach Schlemm to bring Jim by so he could meet him and have a picture taken. And when Kenny died a couple of years ago, that picture was placed in his casket with him.

Jim didn't say a word, but you couldn't almost physically see it him as he realized how much he means to the people of Peoria. I don't know if he ever realized, playing far away in places like Cleveland and Philly, how much we pull for him back home or how much pride we have in him when he wins an award the Clemente Award or the Comeback Award.

I thought I would add my own comments Jim Thome is a great guy on and off the field.
Jim was profoundly moved by his nephew, Brandon's tragic accident that left him paralyzed in 2001 at age 15. Brandon asked Jim to hit a home run for him, not only did Jim do that he made it two homers in the game.

When Jim heard news of the accident, he raced home to Peoria to be with the Brandon and has been a rock for the family ever since. Jim just does so much for his family. Jim is very active in charity work and research into spinal cord injuries.
One day Brandon was a happy-go-lucky teenager the next day he was paralyzed from a doing a back flip into a pool. Jim is wonderful guy, friend and neighbor. Jim is also putting ten of his nieces and nephews through college. Jim's dedication and Brandons spirit continue to inspire all that know them.
Kevin Thomas

Someone ought to tell Jim that he shouldn't be teaching a baseball swing to his daughter unless she is going to play baseball.

Softball swings are another animal.....much shorter swings.

What a great event for the baseball community in Peoria! The interview and pictures are excellent! Congratulations to those involved at the Power Alley in putting on the program, so the young players and families could get a chance to meet a great baseball ambassador. (We should have him on the beloved, but Choi was in the way! Yikes!!)
My favorite pic, #39!
Good luck to the Power Alley in '07 and beyond, and to a class guy, Jim Thome, as well, (except for those six games against the Cubbies!).
Bill Downing
Fox Valley Sports Academy

fastball, been teaching a baseball swing to my daughter, same as baseball short and quick.

2bagger, with your teaching skills I'm sure you will have her hitting. But that softball swing needs to be super short and quick.....kind of like a mega-slap hitter

Fastball they call that the power 'V" stance with the elbows in and tight to the body. The baseball swing is no good for the girls. Not enough reaction time for the longer baseball swing.

I know a certain young lady that hits for average, with considerable power and can be a load at the plate. Her Dad taught her. Some posters on this site have seen video of her hitting if they want to chime in. This is way off topic and so, I won't continue the hijack other than to say that a considerable amount of top level fastpitch coaches including a certain one at Arizona think that there isn't much of a difference at all in swings.

I met Jim when I was living in St. Louis and he was signing autographs at a hat store in mall in Fairview Heights. It was the first year of interleague play and the Indians were set to play the Cardinals. I didnt go to get his autograph but to ask him about a college visit he took to Rend Lake College which is where I played at. I was very suprised that he rembered all of the coaches names and some of the host players he had years after he took the visit. We ended up talking all the way to the parking lot. He was super nice and seemed like a genuine great guy. I have been a fan of his ever since.