Now that Jim Thome is in the Hall of Fame, how much does Peoria care?
For sure, his family, friends and fans (this one included) are overjoyed about the honor. Great career, great guy.
But what about the city of Peoria? Should it do something special?
Or do nothing special? Let the applause fade into a yawn?
The decision isn’t simply about honoring an upstanding achiever. If we were to honor all the good people of Peoria, you could start by making statues of just about every school teacher past and present, then move on to veterans, firefighters and other public servants.
Rather, this is about an opportunity. Maybe that sounds crass. But Peoria has a chance here to show pride in a favorite son and do a little self-promotion.
Don’t be picky about the fact that Thome grew up just outside Peoria, in the county. For one, he was born in Peoria. For another, Thome calls Peoria his hometown. After the Hall announcement, he told sportswriters nationwide, “Everything starts at your roots. I was so fortunate and proud I grew up where I did. Peoria is such a special place.”
Those are some remarkable words of gratitude. It’s nice to hear someone so proud of this place.
In that way, it’s probably safe to say that Thome would not mind Peoria bettering itself by jumping on his back a little bit. As it is right now, as far as Thome visibility, you could forgive a visitor for never realizing the slugger ever lived here.
Mind you, among Peorians, we’re talking about extremely rare air in terms of career achievement. This isn’t simply a success story. Thome, the only Peoria-born athlete ever elected to any pro-sport hall of fame, whacked more home runs than all but seven other players.
In any career field, the only other native son to ascend a similar summit is Richard Pryor, the greatest all-time standup comic. A statue for Pryor looms on the Near South Side, though only after years of fundraising. I have no idea if the Pryor statue prompts any actual tourism. But any newcomer would be impressed by the giant Pryor, and perhaps intrigued to learn of the Peoria roots. Meantime, for for a lot of us as we drive by, it’s hard not to feel a little Pryor/Peoria pride.
The same could be done regarding Thome. Beyond a standard statue, a few years ago I suggested Peoria create the world’s biggest bobblehead — now almost 15 ½ feet tall, of a St. Bernard in Florida — featuring Thome’s smiling face. That’d be fun, for locals as well as tourists.
If that sounds silly, realize this: as it is now, there aren’t many local nods to Thome. A sign near the airport acknowledges his connection here. And, as sadly chronicled in this space, there’s The Jim Thome Highway: a slice of U.S. Route 24 that bridges the south end of Peoria and Bartonville, a remarkably unscenic area that (amid junkyard mountains and shuttered storefronts) borders on blight.
Does Peoria want to do more? Does Peoria want to do better?
This isn’t just about home runs. He is a perpetual good-will ambassador: as a hometown hero, family man, hard worker, fair sport — whatever he happens to be doing at the moment. That’s why Peoria’s heart beats for Thome, but visitors and tourists can’t see that.
It would seem to make sense — for the sake of civic pride and promotion — to create visible and meaningful evidence that this is, indeed, Thome Town.
Or not.
That’s up to Peoria, by public or private means, in whatever way people feel appropriate. Cost is certainly a factor. But so far, the investment has been almost nothing. If you have any ideas, I’m all ears.
From Wednesday’s announcement and the upcoming Hall induction, it’s clear that Jim Thome is appreciated in Cooperstown, N.Y. But what about Peoria, Ill.?
PHIL LUCIANO is a Journal Star columnist. He can be reached at pluciano@pjstar.com, facebook.com/philluciano and (309) 686-3155. Follow him on Twitter.com/LucianoPhil.