Peoria Sunday Morning League Salutes Hometown Hero Jim Thome

Submitted by Tim Cundiff, President, Peoria Sunday Morning League

Everyone in the Greater Peoria community is beaming with pride upon learning of the news that our very own Jim Thome will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer. This is the highest distinction for anyone who ever plays the game of baseball. Jim is an alum of Limestone Community High School (Bartonville), Illinois Central College (East Peoria), and the Peoria Sunday Morning League. The community is so proud to have such a well-respected individual earn this recognition. Jim exemplifies hard work, dedication, strength, and pure talent. These ideals are symbolic of the hard-working individuals that call Peoria home.

For us at the Peoria Sunday Morning League (PSML), it is a huge honor to know that prior to Jim embarking on his MLB career, he played for three seasons in our League. He utilized his time in the PSML to hone is skills and to prepare for what the next level may bring. But a special note is that he also played in the PSML to continue the Thome Family tradition. His father Chuck Jr., his grandfather Chuck Sr., and his uncle Art all played in the League. But they didn’t just participate, they are icons in the League. The Thome family is synonymous with success. Countless records, championships, and honors have been awarded to the family over the years. In 1976, Chuck Thome Sr. was inducted into the PSML Hall of Honor. In 1978 Art was inducted. In 2010 both Chuck Jr. and Jim were inducted.

While we are proud of our PSML Hall of Honor, we know that the ultimate Hall is located in Cooperstown. For this reason, we are extremely proud that in July of 2018, Jim Thome will be enshrined in baseball immortality. To commemorate Jim’s achievement and to recognize the entire Thome family for their contributions in the Peoria Sunday Morning League, for our upcoming 2018 season (the 103rd season of the oldest amateur baseball league in America) we will be renaming our Championship Trophy. It will forever be known as the ‘Thome Trophy’.