After a Fox News in memoriam segment used a photo of the Chicago White Sox great Frank Thomas in a list of 2023 notable deaths on Friday, the Big Hurt took to social media to correct the record.
“Ladies and Gentlemen I’m very sorry me ex employer Fox would be this irresponsible on National TV this morning. Yes I’m alive and doing well. This blows my mind also,” Thomas wrote on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, accompanied by a smiling photo for further visual confirmation.
The mix-up is a case of same names.
Frank Thomas, an All-Star baseball outfielder in the 1950s and 1960s, died early this year at the age of 93.
After the blunder, Fox News anchor Julie Banderas corrected the mistake a few minutes later.
“We misidentified the late Frank Thomas, the three-time All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates,” she said. “The Frank Thomas we showed you unfortunately was also a former pro baseball player. He is very much alive. We apologize for that mistake.”
Judging by his smiling photo, Thomas seems to be taking the premature send-off in stride.
Ladies and Gentlemen I’m very sorry my ex employer Fox would be this irresponsible on National TV this morning. Yes I’m alive and doing well. This blows my mind also. pic.twitter.com/FWGlVwOIFS
— Frank Thomas (@TheBigHurt_35) December 29, 2023