Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome of Peoria to receive Illinois' highest civilian honor

Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star

Jim Thome has another award for his trophy case.

The Peoria native and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee is among those receiving the Order of Lincoln in 2024, the state of Illinois' highest civilian honor for professional achievement and public service.

The 2024 class will be honored at the 60th annual Convocation and Investiture at 5:30 p.m. on April 13, 2024, at the Chicago History Museum. The award is presented by Gov. JB Pritzker.

"This year's impressive honorees include a former Illinois Supreme Court Justice, a Baseball Hall of Famer, policy and business leaders, and one of the nation’s finest musicians," Pritzker said. "These talented individuals embody the spirit of our state, and I am honored to recognize them for their service and dedication to Illinois."

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Thome played baseball at Limestone High School and Illinois Central College, then went on to a Major League career that lasted 22 seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles.

Thome's 612 career home runs were more than any Illinois athlete who appeared in MLB, as were his RBIs (1,699), on-base percentage (.402) and slugging percentage (.554).

In 2002, he was named to the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the player who best represents the game through extraordinary character and community involvement. In 2004 he received the prestigious Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, an honor given annually to the major league player who best exhibits the character and integrity of the late Lou Gehrig. The five-time MLB All-Star also won a Silver Slugger Award and was American League Comeback Player of the Year in 2006.

Peoria native Jim Thome will be among the recipients of the annual Order of Lincoln in 2024.
Peoria native Jim Thome will be among the recipients of the annual Order of Lincoln in 2024.

2024 Order of Lincoln winners

Established in 1964, the Order of Lincoln honors Illinois residents whose work "uplifts every community in the state," according to a release. The seven recipients join a list of more than 350 honored since its inception. In addition to Thome, the Lincoln honorees for 2024 include:

  • Evelyn Brandt Thomas: An Illinois resident for over a century, Brandt Thomas is a dedicated and active philanthropist, businesswoman, and mentor, described by Farm World as "a pioneer who helped create an agricultural empire."

  • Lewis Collens: A life-long resident of Illinois, credited with the strategic revitalization and transformation of two major Chicago institutions, the Illinois Institute of Technology and its Chicago-Kent College of Law.Hon. Rita B. Garman: An Aurora native and retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice after nearly five decades of service to the citizens of Illinois.

  • Alison Krauss: Born in Decatur and raised in Champaign, Krauss has sold more than 12 million records to date and has made 14 albums, including two collaborations with Robert Plant. Among her honors are 27 Grammys from 42 nominations, nine Country Music Association Awards, 14 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, and two Gospel Music Association Awards.

  • Lester H. McKeever, Jr.: Born and raised in Chicago, McKeever, Jr. became the 60th Black certified public accountant in the United States in 1960. McKeever led the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as its chairman, and his civic board engagements have included the Chicago Urban League, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and he has served his undergraduate alma mater as treasurer of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

  • Raul I. Raymundo: With seed capital of $30,000 from six area parishes in 1990, Chicago native Raymundo co-founded The Resurrection Project (TRP), which has gone on to leverage those initial funds into more than $640 million in community investments, benefiting nearly a quarter of a million people throughout the western suburbs and the city’s southwest side.

Sponsorship opportunities and ticket information for the April 13 Convocation and Investiture can be found here. For further information or to attend the upcoming gala, contact Executive Director Leanne Barnhart at 217-493-0047 or visit www.LincolnAcademyIllinois.org.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2024 Order of Lincoln: Jim Thome of Peoria to receive Illinois highest honor

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