Welcome to the Hall of Fame Jim Thome

Last night we got the good news that a Phillies Fan Favorite was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. \

2005 Fleer Skybox Autographics #43 Jim Thome

I don't need to get into his HOF credentials here, I mentioned them last month in our HOF ballot series.

The above 2005 Skybox Autographics set gets a fair on my design scale. Nothing really going for it, but inoffensive.

The real reason I was interested in posting this card for the HOF election announcement is the back

Flip

2005 Fleer Skybox Autographics #43 Jim Thome (b-side)

The last sentence in the text mentions Thome's 400th HR which occurred in a game that Team Phungo is very happy to say that we had the chance to attend.

2004 0614 Game Ticket Reds @ Phillies

The Phillies won the game 10-7, Jim Thome wasted no time getting his milestone Homer, a 2-run shot off of Jose Acevedo.  A video of the Home Run along with the call by Harry Kalas can be found here. It was a fun night and I am glad we live in an era when I can dial up the memory check out a video of the event just about anytime I want.

Returning to the b-side of the card I would like to take a look at the second half of the last sentence. Fleer mentions that a day prior to Thome's 400th Homer, Ken Griffey Jr had hit #499. Junior may be universally loved, however...

Check the ticket

Who did the Phillies play the day after Griffey hit #499? The Reds, Who did Griffey play for in 2004? the Reds! Therefore....

Ken Griffey was in town with 499 Career Homers the night Jim Thome hit his 400th Home Run. How cool would it have been to have 400th & 500th HR hit in the same game?!

Well it didn't happen.

Griffey sat out the game and hit #500 a week later.

Other Tributes
The Phillies Room - 2011 Phillies Team S2 #25
White Sox Cards - 2007 Heritage #33
Once a Cub - 1999 Fleer #95 (Game Dated Card)
Indian Baseball Cards Always Sketch card
My PCs one card at a time - 2001 Fleer E-X #48
Card Buzz - Canton Akron Classic Best Card
Padrographs - Custom

Sources and Links
Jim Thome Index
Jim Thome 400th HR Index
Game Dated Cards

2004 Jun 14: Jim Thome 400th Career Home Run index

This is an index of postings related to the June 14 2004 game in which Jim Thome hit his 400th Home Run


Game Ticket June 14 2004 Reds @ Phillies

2005 Topps #25 (Wall of Fame Inductions / 400 Home Runs) 
2005 Sykbox #43 (Hall of Fame Election Results

Other Milestone Home Runs
2008 UD X Xponential #X2-JT (500th HR 2007 09 16)

Other Sources and Links
Jim Thome Index
Game Dated Cards Index

Jim Thome: Welcome to the Wall!

The Philllies are adding a Jim Thome plaque to their Wall of Fame tonight. I won't be there for the induction but do plan on getting down to the park at some point this weekend.

Thome's tenure here was short but he did provide some great memories

2005 Topps #25 Jim Thome

Remember a few years back when there was a buzz regarding Topps giving players card numbers that matched their uniform numbers. This Thome card is pre-buzz but it does fall on his #25.

2005 Topps #25 Jim Thome (b-side)

One of the reasons that I like this card is the fun fact, "On June 14, 2004, Jim Became the 37th Major Leaguer to reach 400 home runs." First off I respect the accomplishment and I am happy that the prodigious home run hitter reached the milestone while with the Phillies.

More selfishly I think it is cool that it was a game attended by Team Phungo.

Citizens Bank Ballpark was brand new at the time, there was always buzz at the stadium - even more so with a potential Thome Milestone. June 14 2004 was a rainy Monday night in which the Reds were in town to make up a game that had already been postponed once. None of this could damper the spirits of the fans there to see if Thome could hit #400. He didn't make us wait long - He homered in the first inning.

Except that there was the issue of a potential rainout - what would happen if the game didn't go the required 5 innings?

The clubs played through some rain and there were delays but the clubs eventually finished the contest (officially) with the Phillies winning 10-7 in a weather shortened 8 innings.

Someday I will dig through my ticket stubs and add one to this post.

Sources and Links
Phungo Jim Thome HR #400 Index
Phungo Jim Thome Player Collection
Phungo Games Index
Baseball-ref