Peoria native Jim Thome hit his 499th career home run on Wednesday in the White Sox 7-4 win over Cleveland. The next one he hits will put him exclusive company, making him the 23rd member of the 500 home run club.

"It's been a wonderful thing for my family and for our team. We're just enjoying the ride. It's been a neat experience."

No one has enjoyed the ride more than Chuck Thome, Jim's father.

"Watching him through this experience and watching him as a father myself, I think he's proud. I think he's shown a lot of emotion through this. I've always said that the great thing baseball does is it brings everybody together. I know it's brought our family together."

At 37 Thome thinks he still has a few years left. It's possible he could finish his career with close to 600 homers and more than 1,500 RBI. That would make the Peoria native a lock for the Hall of Fame. When Chuck Thome visited Cooperstown this summer he tried to determine where Jim's plaque will hang. Then he took out his camera and snapped a picture of the spot on the still bare wall.

"It's pretty cool," says Jim of his father's snap shot. "It's surreal. If we're blessed enough to get the 500 home run ball back my dad and I are going to go deliver it together to the Hall of Fame.It's a neat thing just to think about."