Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 11, 1993 TAG: 9311110511
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Slighted in the past in the Most Valuable Player voting, the Chicago White Sox first baseman Wednesday became the eighth unanimous pick since the American League MVP award was first given in 1931.
"I was really shocked I got all 28 votes," he said. "I was like, `Wow!' There was no better way to win it."
Thomas hit .317, was second in the major leagues with 128 RBI and set a club record with 41 homers. He easily beat out Toronto's Paul Molitor, who received 13 second-place votes in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
The other unanimous winners of the AL MVP were Hank Greenberg (1935), Al Rosen (1953), Mickey Mantle (1956), Frank Robinson (1966), Denny McLain (1968), Reggie Jackson (1973) and Jose Canseco (1988).
"This was the longest day of my life," Thomas said. "There was a lot of anticipation going on, and when the call finally came, I got it on the first ring."
Appearing with his wife, Elise, and their 16-month-old son, Sterling, at a Comiskey Park news conference, Thomas said the White Sox have to concentrate on reaching the next level. Toronto beat Chicago in six games in the AL playoffs.
"We might need to go out and get another hitting threat," said Thomas, who last month agreed to a $29 million, four-year contract extension that runs through 1998.
Thomas' victory gave the White Sox three of the four AL postseason awards. Jack McDowell was voted the Cy Young Award and Gene Lamont was voted Manager of the Year. The last team to have three different people capture those awards in the same season was Atlanta in 1991, when Terry Pendleton was the MVP, Tom Glavine was the Cy Young winner and Bobby Cox was the top manager.
AL batting champion John Olerud, Molitor's teammate, was third in voting, followed by Texas outfielder Juan Gonzalez. Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr. was fifth.
Thomas was among the AL's top 10 in walks (112), runs (106), on-base percentage (.426) and slugging percentage (.607). Plus, his 77 extra-base hits broke the White Sox mark set by Joe Jackson in 1920.
Thomas' award may have eased his disappointment with last year's MVP voting. He finished eighth behind winner Dennis Eckersley, and said he felt his .323 average, 24 home runs and 115 RBI should have placed him higher.
Thomas has hit more than .300 with more than 100 RBI and 100 walks in each of his first three full seasons in the majors.
At 25, Thomas already is a rare package of power and patience at the plate. For all his home runs, he is willing to take walks and struck out just 54 times.
Thomas got off a strong start last season with 21 RBI in April, the most by a White Sox player since the team starting keeping records in 1964. He had an 18-game hitting streak in June, longest for Chicago this year.
At the All-Star break, Thomas was batting .302 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI.
by CNB