Mods can can move this somewhere else as they see fit, but it's a scary story. Glad to see nobody was hurt.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

Bests to Allen Thomas and his family.

 

It sounds like he's had a rough year. Very cool what Ozzie's trying to do. This will all turn out right.

Best wishes to Allen and his family.

Best to the family....

thoughts and prayers go to him and his family.

Wow, I didn't know Ozzie went this deep into the organization. We all hate a lot of his managing decisions like his use of pitchers or the "b" lineup days but none of us really know how he is to the team. I respect Ozzie far more greatly for his efforts in helping the family.

 

The Thomas family will be in my prayers, the important part is that no one was hurt.

for these guys. I read this on Chisox.com earlier and was going to post it, glad to see someone else got it.

It hasn't been a good week for Sox family members named Thomas.

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/ar...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Helping hand: After a media member asked Guillen on Sunday for an update on Allen Thomas, the team's director of conditioning, the White Sox manager showed a picture on his Palm Pilot that Thomas had e-mailed. Thomas' 4,200-square-foot home in North Carolina literally had been leveled by an explosion caused by a gas leak, making it look more like the aftereffects caused by a hurricane or a tornado.

 

Guillen had just finished talking with Thomas prior to his pregame media session and said that Thomas planned on returning to Chicago on Wednesday. The plan for the White Sox players and all aspects of the organization to help out Thomas in this time of need still was firmly in place, according to Guillen.

 

"I'm going to talk to Jerry Reinsdorf about trying to help us," Guillen said. "I'm going to talk to the Chicago White Sox charity people. We might do something for him, sign some autographs, a golf outing, or lunch or dinner with the fans.

 

"I'm not the type of manager that when you have a problem, you take care of it," Guillen added. "A.T. [Thomas] has a problem, that means it involves everybody. We're going to do everything in our power to help his family."

ers for Thomas and his family. It's awesome to see Ozzie rally the troops around him and that for Ozzie, it really is more than just a team. It's a family and that carries them on and off the field.

I liked that they mentioned this during the game last night - talked about how Guillen manages like this is family, not just a team.

Real awesome to see this bad sitaution righted by the Sox. This is such an awesome team on and off the field.

 

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/ar...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Notes: Players aid Allen Thomas

Director of conditioning returns to club after home explosion

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

CHICAGO -- Allen Thomas, the White Sox's director of conditioning, returned to the team approximately three hours before game time Friday. He spent the past week in Valdese, N.C., tending to what was left of his home, tragically destroyed Monday by a gas leak.

 

Thomas mentioned that everyone from the people in his family's subdivision to residents of the entire county have come to his aid after the explosion. White Sox players also raised money for Thomas, handing him an envelope following a pregame meeting.

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen said that he would match whatever the players came up with, but joked that he changed his mind after seeing the amount.

 

"I can build two houses in Venezuela with that money," Guillen said with a smile. "I feel proud. Those guys show up and people out of uniform show up and donate money."

 

"It's a blessing to have people like that," added Thomas of all the support he has received.

 

Guillen teased Thomas about not becoming the center of attention or a distraction for the team during the next couple of days. But on a more serious note, Guillen added that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf also has a plan to aid Thomas and his family.

 

Thomas mentioned the blood, sweat and tears put into developing his 4,600 square foot house. He was looking forward to an offseason in which his family could enjoy its residence because all of the work and improvements had been completed.

 

Although all of their personal affects were destroyed, Thomas took great solace in the fact that his wife and their youngest son were in Baltimore, while their older son visited grandparents in Tucson, Ariz. It has been a challenging year for Thomas, who missed one month earlier this season due to Cellulitis, caused by an infection after he was hit by a baseball.

 

But Thomas still feels blessed to be where he is. The material possessions can be replaced, but not the people who mean the most to him.

 

"Every day, you find out what you can endure, and you can endure a lot," Thomas said. "I've been challenged, but [God] is there for me, so I keep trucking."