Homer History: When Frank Thomas showed his Home Run Derby muscle

In our Homer History series, writers re-tell the stories of memorable home runs from their perspective. In this installment, Yahoo Sports blogger Andreas Hale recalls the night Frank Thomas went toe-to-toe with Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1994 Home Run Derby.

You have to understand that the teenage version of me viewed Frank Thomas as an anomaly back in 1994. As a Chicago White Sox fan who adopted the team after moving to Las Vegas from New York in the late ’80s, The Big Hurt was a godsend for a team that was suffering from an inexplicable World Series drought. I’m a sucker for the underdog, what can I say?

Although Ken Griffey Jr. fascinated all of my friends, I was waiting for the moment to prove that my guy — this hulking monster who possessed the power of Thor and the patience of a surgeon — was the best player in baseball.

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In 1994, Thomas looked like he would challenge Roger Maris’ then-single season home-run record while batting a ridiculous .353. Thanks to a strike-shortened season, I was robbed of the monster year I expected from Thomas and I couldn’t validate my choice of Thomas over Griffey like I had hoped. I didn’t have that significant moment that stuck in my memory like when Griffey had his Spiderman catch in center field.

(Yahoo Sports / Getty Images) Sure, The Big Hurt was a stat monster, but he didn’t have those moments that made your eyes pop out of your head. Before social media and YouTube reigned supreme, the only highlights I had an opportunity to see were on “SportsCenter.” And, to be honest, Thomas wasn’t even the biggest story in Chicago baseball. That honor went to Michael Jordan, who had retired after three straight NBA championships and decided to try his hand at Minor League Baseball.

Thanks a lot, M.J.

But when Thomas entered the 1994 Home Run Derby at the now decimated Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, I was hoping that he’d have his moment among the stars. With a field that included Ruben Sierra, Fred McGriff, Albert Belle, Jeff Bagwell, Dante Bichette, Mike Piazza and, of course, Ken Griffey Jr., I bet my friends that Thomas would take the crown.

I lost because that honor would end up going to, you guessed it, Ken Griffey Jr. But The Big Hurt would have his moment and that moment will be remembered longer than anything else that happened in the derby.

Both Thomas and Griffey took over the derby that year by showering the stadium with meteoric shots that left everyone watching in awe. Griffey’s best was a massive 512-foot shot to right field. But that wasn’t enough to match the White Sox first baseman.

[Previously in Homer History: Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth with No. 715]

Thomas approached the plate and uncorked a blast that went into the Pittsburgh sky and had no intention of coming down. I stood up and yelled as the ball continued soaring into left-center field and a ridiculous nine sections over from the foul pole. When it finally began its descent, it struck a black and gold banner bearing Will Clark’s name before settling into a seat. The estimated distance: 519 feet. I think I may have yelled from the time the ball left Thomas’ bat until it landed in its final resting place.

(AP)

Not only did Thomas outdo Griffey, but he also ended up hitting the longest home run in the history of the stadium the Pirates called home for 30 years. Finally, I had won. Maybe I didn’t win the war, but I claimed victory in a very significant battle that gave me bragging rights for the rest of the season.

That moment was cemented in history when Thomas and pitching coach Rich Donnelly, who delivered the pitch, signed a star that was placed on the seat to commemorate the moment. It remained there until it was auctioned off when Three Rivers Stadium closed in 2000 and imploded in 2001.

[Elsewhere: Check out the Dunk History series on Yahoo Sports]

“Frank Thomas is just too big,” laughed former major leaguer Gregg Jefferies after Thomas’ monster shot, according to ESPN. “If you’re over 260 pounds, there should be a rule — that you have to play football.”

Nope, The Big Hurt was right where he belonged. And his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 , with 83.7% of the vote, proved I was right. Even though Griffey would once again one up Thomas, and the rest of the baseball universe, by receiving 99.32% of the vote in 2016, I can always hold on to my victory — July 11, 1994, the night Griffey got out-muscled by The Big Hurt.

COMING TUESDAY: Steve Finley wins the NL West for the Dodgers with a walk-off grand slam.

PREVIOUSLY IN HOMER HISTORY
– The night a hobbled Kirk Gibson broke my heart (by Mike Oz)
– Cal Ripken Jr. wowed us yet again on Iron Man night (by Lauren Shehadi)
– When Albert Pujols silenced Minute Maid Park (by Jeff Passan)
– Bill Mazeroski’s great walk-off World Series winner (by Kevin Iole)
– The Big Papi grand slam that still haunts Detroit (by Al Toby)
– That time Joe Blanton hit a home run in the World Series (by Sam Cooper)
– When Jim Leyritz halted hopes of a Braves dynasty (by Jay Busbee)
– Bryce Harper and the home run almost no one saw (by Chris Cwik)
– Shane Robinson and the home run on one predicted (by Tim Brown)
– The shot heard ’round the world (by Larry King)
– The night Reggie Jackson became Mr. October (by Scott Pianowski)
– Tony Fernandez’s extra-innings postseason blast (by Joey Gulino)
– Dave Kingman takes one out of Wrigley Field (by Andy Behrens)
– Joe Carter’s blast wins the 1993 World Series (by Greg Wyshynski)
– Todd Helton ignites a historic Rockies run (by Mark Townsend)
– David Eckstein once again does the improbable (by Max Thompson)
– Bob Brenly makes up for four errors with a blast (by Rob Schneider)
– Alex Gordon ties Game 1 of the 2015 World Series (by Nick Bromberg)
– Ryne Sandberg takes Bruce Sutter deep twice (by Kyle Ringo)
– Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth with No. 715 (by Steve McAllister)