It never really gets old for Frank Thomas.

The legendary Auburn first baseman and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer already returned to Auburn once last year for a statue outside Plainsman Park in his honor. Seeing it still brings a tear to his eye.

And on Friday he was back for another day made for him, as he cut the ribbon for the opening of Auburn’s new Hall of Fame Club, a sparkling new premium seating option behind home plate.

“It’s very humbling,” Thomas said. “You can only dream of something like that, and I’ve always wanted to leave my legacy and leave my name stitched somewhere, pretty much in gold. And this is it. This is overwhelming. I never expected a club with my name on it.”

Thomas was joined by Auburn athletic director John Cohen, Auburn president Chris Roberts, city of Auburn mayor Ron Anders and Auburn baseball head coach Butch Thompson for the Friday ceremony ahead of Auburn’s season-opening baseball game against Eastern Kentucky.

Thomas said he first heard Auburn planned to recognize him with the club about a year ago. And his reaction was simple, yet still honored.

“Dude, I’m blown away,” Thomas said. “I am so blown away,”

The new club features 108 seats behind home plate — the same cushioned seats used at the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park — a full bar, merchandise and a newly announced Auburn baseball hall of fame set to have annual induction classes, deputy athletic director Rhett Hobart said.

Thomas is the innaugural Auburn Hall of Fame class

“The words Hall of Fame are synonymous with Auburn baseball because of Frank,” Cohen said. “We have such a great tradition here of great players. We wanted a place for Butch to honor former players who were deserving of being in the hall of fame. I think every one of our programs, it’s important for them to sell the history of program, and every one of our programs has done that in a different way, whether it’s banners in a basketball arena or a club like this. I think this will be really, really neat for our baseball alumni.”

The bar menu includes several high-end liquors with the most expensive drink set at $22 for Blanton’s bourbon. The menu also has a signature Frank Thomas cocktail: a peach vodka mule. The bar supplies Thomas’ own brand of vodka: 404 Vodka.

“Sometimes you just don’t realize how much you’ve accomplished in life,” Thomas said. “It’s so humbling for me to come back to Auburn because, just like I told you guys, this is where it started for me. Making it to Auburn was my big thing out of Columbus, Georgia. Like, ‘Man, I’m going to Auburn. I got a full scholarship. I’ve got to max this thing out.’ Making it to the next level, and then to the next level, to the Hall of Fame? I’m overwhelmed. Like I said, I never expected it, but I worked and dedicated myself to my craft day in and day out and I’m proud of what I accomplished.”

Inside the club, is a plaque of Thomas meant to replicate the one at the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. This one has an Auburn “A” on his hat instead of the Chicago White Sox display in Cooperstown and a description based on his Auburn career.

“I know the Cooperstown plaque is special, but that one’s even more special. There’s a lot of detail on that thing,” Thomas said. “It looks like a young Frank Thomas at Auburn, and I’m extremely proud of it. Extremely proud of it.”

Opening day is also the first time Plainsman Park has sold alcohol publicly with a new stand set up behind the third base stands. Auburn introduced public alcohol sales for the first time in program history at Neville Arena for this season’s basketball games.

The program has not extended to spring sports and is expected to be added at football games in the fall.

Fans can pay between $25-$90 for an access pass to the Hall of Fame club, dependent on the game, which allows access to the club and standing room areas behind home plate. Food and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the ticket.

For $50-$150 depending on the game, fans can get one of the 108 reserved seats behind home plate, which all feature a personal power outlet.

The seating will position some fans directly next to the visitor’s dugout, which was a decision based on the renovation Cohen and Hobart did at Dudy Noble Field while serving as administrators at Mississippi State.

“I’ve made this clear most of my AD career, premium seating is incredibly important because there is such a demand,” Cohen said. “If you listen hard enough, your fanbase will tell you what they want. What they’re telling us is ‘We love premium options.’ We’re going to provide that for fans at the ballpark.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]