The White Sox will host an alumni home-run derby at Rate Field on July 11 after their 1:10 p.m. game against the Athletics, but several of the franchise’s biggest power names—including all-time homer leader Frank Thomas—will not participate.
The White Sox will hold an alumni home-run derby after their game against the Athletics on July 11 at Rate Field, but the event’s lineup won’t include the players most fans associate with the Sox’ longest home-run memories.
Six former Sox will take part: Gordon Beckham, Jose Canseco, Leury Garcia, Daniel Palka, Scott Podsednik and Alexei Ramirez. The derby will follow the game, which is scheduled for 1:10 p.m.
Frank Thomas won’t be there. The 58-year-old Hall of Famer is the Sox’ all-time home-run leader, clubbing 448 homers in 16 seasons with the team. Also absent are Paul Konerko. 50. who hit 432 homers in 16 seasons and ranks second in franchise history. and Jose Abreu. 39. who finished with 243 homers in his Sox career and is third all-time.
The missing names extend beyond the franchise’s top three. Five players in the 28-member 500-homer club played for the White Sox—Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Jim Thome (612), Sammy Sosa (609), Manny Ramirez (555) and Thomas—but none of them are in the derby.
Thomas’ absence comes amid a bitter public dispute with the team this year. In March, he sued the Sox over allegations that they used his likeness on uniforms without his consent. The lawsuit also named Nike and Fanatics as co-defendants. Thomas pointed to the Sox’ sale of City Connect 2.0 jerseys featuring his name and No. 35.
He also referenced how the Sox posted an image of “momentous firsts” for Black History Month on X, saying Thomas appeared just once and only in name. Thomas responded, “I Guess the black player who made you rich over there and holds all your records is forgettable! Don’t worry I’m taking Receipts!”
While the derby’s field is taking shape without the biggest thunder. the event’s format is set to keep pressure on every swing. The competition will run in three rounds. Each hitter will get either 10 outs or three minutes to hit as many homers as possible. The top four will advance to the semifinals, and the two winners will square off for the title.
There’s another wrinkle: the derby will include select balls that count as two homers. If ties remain, a fan vote will decide the outcome.
The participating alumni come with their own flashes of power from different eras. Jose Canseco, 61, hit 462 career home runs but only 16 for the Sox in one season, 2001. Alexei Ramirez, Leury Garcia and Gordon Beckham each left their mark in limited windows. Beckham hit 67 homers in seven Sox seasons, Garcia hit 34 in 10, and Scott Podsednik hit 12 in four. Daniel Palka hit 27 homers in 2018 but just two the next season, his last year in the majors. Ramirez hit 109 homers in eight Sox seasons, including a rookie-record four grand slams in 2008.
Chicago White Sox alumni home-run derby Rate Field Frank Thomas Paul Konerko Jose Abreu lawsuit City Connect 2.0 Athletics
So Frank Thomas is really not coming? That’s messed up.
It’s after the 1:10 game, right? Kinda weird they couldn’t get the whole squad like Jose Abreu and Konerko. Feels like they’re just sweeping it under the rug.
I saw something about uniforms and Nike/Fanatics and I’m like… isn’t that just merch? Seems like the Sox can’t even use someone’s name without drama. Also the City Connect jerseys thing, I guess he owns the number or something? Not sure.
Honestly this makes the Sox look petty. If Frank Thomas has 448 homers, he should be at the derby no matter what. But then again, suing over a picture on X for Black History Month?? I don’t even remember the post, so people probably blew it up. Meanwhile they got Beckham and Palka like that fixes it. Rate Field July 11 and still no real legends… smh.