Be sure to read John's tremendous article on Jim Thome and his long-awaited arrival in Minnesota, in a Twins uniform. He spent just over a year and a half wearing the Twins pinstripes, and yet, he provided Twins fans with many memorable moments. Often, the question "What was your favorite Player X moment?" is asked when a player of little significance is demoted or released. However, I ask you today, What Was Your Favorite Jim Thome (in a Twins uniform) Moment?

 

Be sure to vote in the attached poll, but there are just six things I came up with off the top of my head. I'm sure you can come up with more. And some of you may even have some personal stories of Thome. Please use this thread to discuss Jim Thome moments.

 

7/3/2010 - Thome 574th Home Run

Jim Thome homered for the 574th time in his big league career, passing Twins legend Harmon Killebrew on the all-time list. Killebrew congratulates him on the big screen at Target Field.

 

8/20/2010 - Thome Walks-Off versus White Sox

 

Down by a run in the bottom of the 10th, Thome came to the plate against his former teammates. Facing lefty Matt Thornton with a runner on 1st base, Thome connected for the first walk-off home run in Target Field History.

 

[video=youtube;F7O-w1CAo8g]http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7O-w1CAo8g

 

9/2010 - Thome hits one off the Flag pole!

 

It was tremendous clout. Thome got all of it, and when it hit the top of the flag pole in right-center field, Orlando Hudson was shown mouthing words from the dugout showing how impressed he was!!

 

April 2011 - Thome's Twins Commercial

 

"Deep in Twins Territory, there's a legendary story, 'bout a man with an ox in the batter's box..." Classic commercial!

 

8/15/2011 - Thome Hits 600th Home Run

 

He came into the game needing two home runs. He hit #599, and then in the 7th inning, his next at bat, he his #600 in Detroit off of lefty Daniel Schlereth.

 

[video=youtube;th1gqiDp6H8]http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=th1gqiDp6H8&feature=fvwrel

 

Always - Thome's Class

 

Like Killebrew before him, I can't help but wonder if people will forget how incredible of a baseball player Thome was because he is even a better man, always classy.

 

What was your favorite Jim Thome with the Twins Moment?

 

 

Game-Winner off Thornton (DEEP TO RIGHT!) 2010.08.17

 

Flag Pole HR 2010.09.06

 

Delmon: Ohhh! 2011.07.17 (look for Delmon's reaction starting at 0:47)

 

I really liked watching him play for the Twins.

The walk-off versus the White Sox will always be great but I was at the game where he hit the flag pole. That will be something I tell my kids about when I take them to Target Field.

Nothing against the flag pole, which was awesome...that was so perfect for a hitter who grew up modeling his swing after Robert Redford in "The Natural", and then he hits a magical home run of his own (analogous to the one from the movie that busted the light tower). But IIRC, it was in the middle of a Sunday afternoon game and wasn't nearly as clutch as that walk-off. The walk-off was immortalized by a Sports Illustrated photo (not the cover, but the lead photo to the article) where the whole team met him at home, and Joe Mauer was about the most excited I've ever seen him:

 

 

That photo encapsulated how fun that entire season was. I was talking to a Milwaukee fan at Saturday's game, and I made the point that it was very fortunate we got that 2010 year to open the park because it completely changed the way we viewed that place. Otherwise, we'd already be whining about our old "home field advantage in the Dome". Thome was a huge part of that season, and that walk-off was my favorite memory.