Thornton's major league success is only surpassed by the grace and dignity he has demonstrated in rebuilding his won life after such a personal tragedy and the compassion he has shown for others in need.
Born on August 13, 1948 in Tuskegee, Ala., Thornton grew up in Phoenixville in a family of athletes, and graduated from Phoenixville High School. In 1967, a week before his 18th birthday, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Thornton as an amateur free agent. After the Phillies agreed to pay for his college tuition, Andre enrolled at Cheyney State. He would go on to graduate magna cum laude from Capital University.
Traded to Chicago in 1972, Thornton made his major league debut for the Cubs on July 28, 1973. The following season he was named to the All-Rookie team as a first baseman by Baseball Digest. In 1975, Thornton enjoyed another fine season, hitting .293 with 18 home runs and compiling a .428 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .516.
After a disappointing '76 campaign, in which he battled injuries and split time between the Cubs and the Expos, Montreal traded Thornton to the Cleveland Indians. Then his life took a tragic turn for the worse.
In October 1977, an automobile accident took the life of his wife, Gertrude, and their 3-year-old daughter, Theresa. Suddenly, he was a widower and a single parent to his son, Andre Jr.
Thornton would later author the book, Triumph Born of Tragedy, which is an account of the accident and his Christian faith.
In 1984, Thornton made the All-Star squad and won a Silver Slugger award as a designated hitter as well as the Indians' Man of the Year Award.
Thornton's personal life also changed for the better in 1979 when he married Gail Jones, a gifted singer and former member of the Jones Sisters gospel group. In addition to Andre Jr., the couple has two other sons Jonathan and Dean.
That same year, he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award, Given to the the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and team contribution.
One of the most popular players in Indians history, Thornton finished his 14-year career with 244 doubles, 253 home runs, a batting average of .254, an on-base percentage of .360, and a slugging percentage of .452.
Today, Thornton is a successful businessman. He owns Global Procurement Management Company, which specializes in management consulting, promotional products, and event planning. He also continues to be involved in the Cleveland community as a board member of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, the Cleveland Zoological Society, Nyack College, and the Cuyahoga Community College Fund. He is a member of Leadership Cleveland, and is involved with the Fist Tree of Cleveland, a golf program geared to provide youth with educational programs and facilities that promote character development.
Thornton is a member of the Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame, and the Reading Phillies Hall of Fame.
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