COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Jim Thome beamed as the final bars of the national anthem echoed over 53,000 people.
He stood and embraced the anthem's singer, but not before he could wipe a tear or two from the corner of his eye. His teenage daughter, Lila, turned and hugged her father, grinning through their embrace.
The personal moment embodied Jim Thome's weekend.
Thome became the 13th Cleveland Indian to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Fans packed The Clark Sports Center field to celebrate the enshrinement of Thome, Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Vladimir Guerrero and Chipper Jones.
Thome made sure to thank the fans from every city that served as a stop during his career. He said Northeast Ohio helped shape him when thanking Cleveland and its fans.
But when it came time for Thome to thank his family, he took extra care to acknowledge the people who mean the most.
Even Thome's attire paid homage to the women in his life. He wore a pink tie, which he later said was a nod to his mother, who died of lung cancer in 2005.
"Mom, I can only hope you're proud of the man I've become," he said. "You can take a lot of credit for it."
Thome's father, Chuck, was able to attend the ceremony. Afterward, the 83-year-old stood in the plaque hall of the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum smiling as a crowd swarmed his son's name. He even had the opportunity to bolt the bronze plaque into the wall, perched right next to Chipper Jones'.
Chuck Thome's pride was evident, but he also credited his late wife for their son's success.
"His mom did a great job with him," he said. "...She was here. She had a good chair somewhere."
Chuck Thome had always hoped his son would reach the big leagues, but he admitted he thought the ceiling would close there. Little did he know Jim would end his career eighth on the all-time home runs list with 612.
"He just keeps climbing," Chuck Thome said. "It don't get any better than this, believe me."
Jim thanked his father during his speech, noting that it wasn't the first time the pair had visited Cooperstown together. Jim and Chuck delivered Jim's 500th home run ball to the museum 10 years ago, but Jim said he assumed Sunday's moment was a little better.
"Dad, thank you for teaching me not just about the game of baseball, but how to be man and to always put family first," he said during his speech.
Chuck Thome didn't have the words for it.
"I couldn't explain it to you," was all he said. "It was quite emotional."