HJ0109 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, James Howard "Jim" Thome is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons from 1991 to 2012 for six teams including the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles; and

WHEREAS, Jim Thome was born to parents Joyce and Charles Thome and raised in Peoria County; he began playing baseball with the West Peoria Little League and moved on to Limestone Community High School in Bartonville, where he achieved all-state honors as a baseball shortstop; following his high school graduation, he played baseball at Illinois Central College in East Peoria for one season before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1989; and

WHEREAS, Jim Thome officially retired from the Cleveland Indians in 2014 accumulating the following career statistics: .276 batting average, 2,328 hits, 612 home runs, and 1,699 RBI; he now works in an executive position with the Chicago White Sox and as an analyst for MLB Network; and

WHEREAS, Jim Thome's career highlights include: five time All-Star in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2006, Silver Slugger Award in 1996, American League Come-Back Player of the Year in 2006, the Roberto Clemente Award in 2002, and National League home run champion in 2003; he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Greater Peoria Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and is one of only 54 first ballot baseball Hall of Famers; and

WHEREAS, Jim Thome is known for his positive attitude and outgoing personality as well as his philanthropic activities which have earned him two Marvin Miller Man of the Year Awards and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award; he is also known for his willingness to sign autographs for the fans; and

WHEREAS, Jim Thome hit 612 home runs during his professional baseball career and is the 8th player in line in baseball history to reach this accomplishment; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare June 12, 2018 as "Jim Thome Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Jim Thome as an expression of our esteem and respect.