Former Sox slugger Jim Thome to conduct hitting camp

Five-time All-Star Jim Thome will conduct a three-hour clinic next month to help young athletes develop into better hitters during an appearance at the Bulls/Sox Academy in Lisle.

The Jim Thome White Sox Hitting Clinic is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 22 at the academy, 6200 River Bend Drive, Lisle.

Thome and the academy’s professional instructors will discuss all aspects of hitting, including stance, stride and finish. Kids will put their new knowledge to good use as they take swings off a tee, soft toss and through live batting practice.

To cap off the experience, each player will receive an autographed wooden Louisville Slugger baseball bat and have the opportunity to take a photograph alongside the future Hall of Famer.

The camp is open to children ages 7 to 14 and will cost $125 per athlete. Organizers say the clinic is expected to sell out.

Thome was a career .276 hitter who compiled 2,328 hits and 1,747 walks while playing in 2,543 games at third base, first base and designated hitter. He played in 22 seasons with six different teams, including the White Sox, Indians (twice), Phillies (twice), Dodgers, Twins and Orioles. Thome is currently in seventh place on the all-time home runs list with 612 and 24th on the all-time RBI list with 1,699.

While with the White Sox from 2006 to 2009, Thome hit his 500th home run on Sept. 16, 2006, in walk-off fashion to give the Sox a 9-7 victory against the Angels.

Thome is currently the special assistant to White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn and works with the major league staff and players and visits the Sox farm teams to evaluate player performance.

The Bulls/Sox Academy is also hosting Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox Thanksgiving Camps and/or Holiday Camps for the athletes looking to gain some extra training while on break.

The Chicago Bulls Holiday Basketball Camp will consist of shooting, ballhandling and defensive drills. The Chicago White Sox Holiday Baseball Camp is designed to make sure athletes are ready for the 2014 season through a variety of offensive and defensive skills training, including hitting, fielding and base running. Full-day Combination Camps are available for the two-sport stars.

For details, visit BullsSoxAcademy.com.