#39 FRANK THOMAS
First Base-Outfield
What came before: The big outfielder's odd legacy isn't that he shares his name with a new Hall of Famer; instead, he will long be labeled as one of the toughest players to sign in his pre-union era. It Pittsburgh, he got on Branch Rickey's bad side when he refused to settle for a $2,000 raise coming his team's last-place finish. That led to a 17-day holdout, a partial victory but a full-blown rep as a player that g.m.'s could not bully or intimidate.
Initially signed by the Pirates in 1947, it took four years for him to break through to the majors – but he did so in impressive fashion. In 1952, he was the terror of the Southern Association as he cracked 35 homers with 131 RBIs for the Pirates' New Orleans farm club. Beginning in '53, he had at least 23 homers in each of his next six seasons, leading to the Reds acquiring him in a seven-player deal that has been regarded as the worst in Reds’ history. And after a bummer of a 1959 season, the Reds shuttled him to the Cubs for a trio of players.
Early in the 1961 season, he was swapped for utility infield Mel Roach and began his first tour of duty with the Braves and made the everyday left fielder. He was back on his game with 24 homers in 124 games, but was sent to the Mets in November for outfielder Gus Bell. Power and playing time began diminishing in 1964, and he was little more than a well-paid pinch-hitter when he rejoined the Braves after playing for the Cubs, Phillies and Colt 45s – sent to Houston directly after a batting cage run-in with teammate Richie Allen. On Sept. 1, he was acquired by Milwaukee for a minor leaguer, and in 15 games at the end of the season, he was homerless with one RBI for the Braves. But he was re-signed and brought to Atlanta’s initial camp.
That 1966 season: He lasted throughout the spring, making into the team picture and for at least one picture day, but was released on April 5, one week before Opening Day.
What happened next: He was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in May, but had only five more (hitless) MLB at-bats before he called it a career at age 37.
Back home in Pennsylvania, Frank and his wife, who he married in 1951, had eight children before Dolores Wozniak passed away from cancer in 2013. They also have 15 grandchildren.
