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COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. - Frank Thomas was always driven to excel, and that sure served him well. "I was never that blue-chip prospect," he said. "I had to outwork my opponents." Hard to imagine now that Thomas was ever anything except a huge star. For Thomas, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound former Chicago White Sox slugger known as the Big Hurt, life has come full circle — from awe-struck rookie in 1990 to baseball royalty. Thomas was elected in January to the Hall of Fame, along with pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Also to be inducted Sunday are managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox, who were selected in December. "This is the top 1 per cent in all of baseball that gets in the Hall of Fame," said Thomas, the first player elected to the Hall of Fame who spent more than half of his time as a designated hitter. "As a kid, the big dream is being a professional. But to make it to the Hall of Fame? Come on, youve got to pinch yourself. Im very fortunate it happened for me, especially first ballot." Thomas won AL MVP awards in 1993 and 1994 and finished his 19-year career with a .301 batting average, 521 homers and 1,704 RBIs. He also won the 1997 AL batting title and helped show that in more recent times a power hitter could also be selective at the plate. Thomas played 16 years for the White Sox and established himself as the best hitter in franchise history. Hes the only player in major league history to log seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks. Heady territory for a guy who didnt take baseball seriously until he was 12 and many thought would end up as a star tight end in the NFL because of the devastating blocks he delivered. "Hitting was something I took very serious. The way I swung the bat at times, youd think I was 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds," said Thomas, who decided to focus solely on baseball as a sophomore at Auburn. "But I cared about getting hits and scoring runs. A lot of people didnt know that about my game. Yes, I hit a lot of home runs, drove in a lot of runs, but there were many days that I was just content getting singles and getting on base and letting the other guys drive me in." Just as impressive: Thomas, Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, and Ted Williams, are the only players in major league history to retire with a career batting average of at least .300, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs scored, and 1,500 walks. The effect of the Steroids Era was front and centre at last years induction ceremony. The 2013 class consisted of Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank ODay and catcher "Deacon" White — all three had been dead for more than 70 years — and was picked by a select 16-member committee. It marked just the second time in 42 years that members of the Baseball Writers Association of America failed to elect anyone. Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Roger Clemens — all linked to steroids — didnt even come close in their first year of eligibility. That was not lost on Thomas. "I played in an era that people are going to be thinking about for a long time," said Thomas, who was plagued by injuries in his later years. "Im proud that I stuck to my guns and did things the right way, the proper way." Induction day probably will seem like a reunion of sorts for Maddux, Glavine, and Cox, who were mainstays together on the Atlanta Braves for a decade. "To have the opportunity to go in with two guys that were a teammate and a manager for a long time, guys that were such a big part of my career but also helped make me a better player, thats a great opportunity," Glavine said. "Every once in a while, Ill have some moments where its hard to get my brain around whats going on." Maddux was elected by an overwhelming margin, receiving 97.2 per cent of the votes from the BBWAA. He won 355 games, four straight Cy Young Awards and a record 18 Gold Gloves. Glavine, who was selected by nearly 92 per cent of the voters, had 305 wins and two Cy Young Awards. Both Maddux and Glavine relied on pinpoint control to get the job done, changing speed and location on their pitches to keep hitters guessing. Maddux won Cy Youngs from 1992-95 (Randy Johnson is the only other pitcher to win four straight), completing his impressive run with two remarkable years. During the strike-shortened 1994 season, Maddux went 16-6 with a career-best 1.56 ERA — the cumulative NL ERA was 4.21 — and the next year finished 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA. Glavine was on the mound when the Braves won Game 6 to clinch the 1995 World Series and give the city of Atlanta its lone major sports title. The lefty pitched one-hit ball over eight innings in a 1-0 victory over Cleveland. "I competed against those guys. They knew how to pitch," said Thomas, picked on nearly 84 per cent of ballots. "They were warriors." Considering the size of this induction class — it equals those of 1971, 1955 and 1953 as the largest ever — and the imposing credentials of the inductees, officials are expecting a very large crowd as the Hall of Fame continues the celebration of its 75th anniversary. Heck, theyll need extra seats just for Torres entourage. "Im looking forward to a huge turnout," said Thomas, whos from Georgia. "Im so happy and proud. To go in with the three most iconic managers of my time, it doesnt get any better than that, to be a part of that group." Adidas Ultra Boost China Wholesale . The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season. Air Max 270 React Discount . LeBron James leads the Miami Heat in a quest for three consecutive championship titles, while Tim Duncan looks to add his fifth ring with the San Antonio Spurs when the series tips off with Game 1: Miami @ San Antonio on Thursday, June 5 at 9 p. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/jordan-wholesale-china/jordan-1-clearance-sale.html . - Dolphins safety Louis Delmas has been carted off the field with a right knee injury against the Ravens. Yeezy Boost China Wholesale . -- The Val-dOr Foreurs made it to the Memorial Cup semifinal thanks to their workhorse goaltender and their ability to hang around like a bad cold. Vapormax China Paypal . -- The court fight over NFL concussions should heat up soon as a judge in Philadelphia weighs the fairness of the proposed $765 million settlement.An 80-minute struggle was overcome by one moment of brilliance. Glorious moments as experienced Saturday have come few and far between for Toronto FC over their not-so illustrious history. More times than not, Toronto FC has been on the receiving end of those game-changing moments, ending in disappointment and distraught. The script has been flipped in 2014. The most recent special moment came courtesy of Toronto FCs big-money striker. $6 million dollars, plus, is significant by Major League Soccer standards. You get what you pay for. And for Toronto FCs investment, theyve got themselves a true difference-maker and match-winner in Jermain Defoe. It was a picture perfect afternoon at BMO Field. The play on the field by Defoes Toronto FC and the visiting Columbus Crew was hardly a masterpiece. Choppy, disconnected, overall poor play was commonplace. The product was substandard and frustrating to watch. That was until the 81st minute. Queue Defoe. A typical searching, lazy ball was played forward by Toronto FCs backline as the Reds searched for an equalizer, down 2-1 to the Crew. Columbus was merely hanging on, bringing nothing to the proceedings. Toronto was similar, obliging their visitor. It was a Columbus mistake that opened the door. Michael Parkhurst the culprit, fresh off being left out of the US Mens National team 23 for Brazil, failing to control. The ball bounced high, then a poor header by the Crew defender before the ball fell on to the head of TFC substitute Gilberto. The Brazilian found Defoe between two Columbus defenders, only for Toronto FCs top scorer to hint right, before going left, hitting with his left-foot on the volley from outside the 18-yard box – a stunning finish out of nowhere. It was Defoes second goal on the day and sixth of the early season. It must be said Defoe hasnt been used to his fullest as of yet, lacking proper service over the course of 90 minutes. Hes spent far too much time chasing matches. Its his predatory instincts and quality in finish that make him who he is, and largely why Toronto FC can afford to hang around in matches and not get punished. Six goals in seven games played is an incredible return on investment. Another goal would come for TFC, a winner off the head of Doneil Henry in time added on to take the full three points. But it was Defoes special strike that was the TSN Turning Point. The goal lifted the team at a time it didnt seem a goal would come. Heads lifted, energy flowed and belief returned. "Sometimes it was painful to watch but they kept going," remarked Toronto FC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen post-match. Earning points while not at their best is becoming trademark of this Toronto FC team. For the second consecutive week, TFC trailed twice before coming back to earn points. Toronto FC finds themselves in a very good spot, on 16 points through 10 games played. Despite sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, they have the third best points per game (1.6) and have at least three games in hand on any team ahead of them, including five games in hand on the fourth place Houston Dynamo. Here are my five thoughts after Toronto FCs 3-2 win. Doneil Does It – The roller coaster continues for the young Canadian central defender. Doneil Henrys game winner made him feel like the hometown hero for the day. The 21-year olds physical presence is plain to see, with a build and athleticism beyond his years. Henry was first to a set piece Wednesday scoring the opener against the Montreal Impact, and came up even bigger against the Crew. Earlier in the game, Agustin Viana beat Henry to a ball in the air on Columbus second goal. It wasnt entirely Henrys doing, with Toronto FC playing zonal defensively. Henry made amends on his match winner - the run and jump impeccable, coming to meet the ball with ideal timing and form. He was never going to be beat. The out-pouring of emotion was plain to see, shirt off and yelling to the crowd and his teammates. Despite his early season struggles, Henry doesnt lack confidence. His celebration was a signal of passion. Its channeling the passion and exuberance thats part of the growth process, becoming a complete player. Work is still to be done in improving positional discipline and proper timing in challenges. Its a process of patience and maturation. Saturdays goal is part of the journey. But you have to feel good for a player who works incredibly hard and ultimately has a very bright future. Nelsens A+ Adjustments – The Head Coach joked after the game things "couldnt get any worse." Changes were desperately needed. With Collen Warner missing (family wedding), Bradley Orr was again assigned the defensive midfield role. Nelsen prefers a true physical, defensive presence to sit on top of his back four. That was near essential playing the young duo of Henry and Nick Hagglund to lead the backline. The game changed with Orrr being forced from the match after 18 minutes with a hamstring issue.dddddddddddd Interesting enough, Dan Lovitz was preferred ahead of Alvaro Rey at outside left, raising further questions on Reys form and true future with the club. It was a real struggle on the day for Lovitz – indecisiveness and poor distribution throughout. Lovitz did make amends with a lovely set piece assisting on Henrys winner. The early change allowed Jonathan Osorio to move inside, a position he looks more influential than outside left. Nelsens second half adjustments were much more pronounced. The introduction of Gilberto was an impactful one. Gilberto was relegated to the bench to start; a good decision by Nelsen to take some pressure off the young Brazilian. Gilberto was put up front in the 66th minute, with Luke Moore moving wide left. Gilberto was an instant pest, using his speed and athleticism to cause problems in the Columbus backline. The response by Gilberto was ultimately a positive one. Some players let a demotion unsettle. No heads down and outward negativity by Gilberto. He put in an absolute shift, playing a part in both second half goals. Nelsens other change, Dwayne De Rosario, came at the right time, as TFC desperately needed to push forward. DeRo was deployed in the middle of the park, a place he looked comfortable and composed. De Rosario is still class on the ball and gives TFC another asset in that position. Perhaps this is where he is best utilized, to change the look and pace of the game. The in-game changes by the manager continue to improve. Nelsen has a good read on his team, strengths and limitations. It must be remembered its been a process thus far, with an improved squad in an awkward World Cup year. The way his team fights and plays for him allow room for tactical adjustments. Its coming along. Putrid Passing – There is no other way of putting it: team passing is downright awful. There continue to be far too many long, searching balls for a team with players more comfortable with the ball at their feet. Seventy-three per cent pass completion on the day, with 84 fewer completed passes than a sub-par Columbus team, minus Federico Higuain, while playing at home is unacceptable. Most of the long ball play is coming from the back, but its not entirely on the defenders. The movement off the ball simply isnt there. The only player really showing for the ball in accessible areas is the defensive midfielder. It was Kyle Bekker for most of Saturday. Hed come deep for the ball, get it, look up, and have no other option than going back or playing square to a central defender. This isnt good enough. The long ball stuff has to go. And better spacing/movement off the ball is essential. Mess in the Midfield – It was never going to be easy with Michael Bradley away on World Cup duty. Seven points in three league games is huge for TFC without their midfield general. For Nelsen and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko, the midfield continues to be the biggest conundrum and area in need of improvement. Without Bradley, the team has been exposed despite the positive results. Nelsen and his team tactics relies upon a traditional holding midfielder to support the back-line and allow a more attack minded central player link up with the front-line. Orr did well in this role before injury, but doesnt provide a complete range in his game to be an every-day holding midfielder. Orrs injury makes the acquisition of Warner that much more important. Those scoffing at the Warner trade look foolish now. Bekker is proving ill suited to a holding role. Osorio will never be that player. There is no question Warner is the first choice at the position, and its not even close. Its about balance in the middle of the park. There are too many players playing out of position and very little natural depth. Look for this to be the area Bezbatchenko looks to alter as the season goes on. Home Field Advantage – The banner draping the Southeast entrance of BMO Field says Welcome to the Fortress. The home supporters played their role Saturday with BMO living up to that billing. Late in the match, when all seemed lost and the game was dire and slow, the crowd rose in voice, providing the energy the play lacked. The team was in desperate need of a lift and the supporters provided it. The interjection of life may be a little thing, but it absolutely matters. The team responded. Having Osorio and Bekker jump into the south-end post-match shows an understanding by the local products what the fan-base and their support means. It was a nice touch to cap off a dramatic comeback. Feel good vibes are returning. The second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship goes Wednesday night in Montreal against the Impact before Toronto FC returns home Saturday for a date with the San Jose Earthquakes (4-4-4) on TSN and TSN 1050 Radio. ' ' '