White Sox Great Dead at 79

We are at a time when some of the greats of our favorite sports growing up are now passing away.

For Chicago White Sox and baseball purists, one such person would be Bill Melton.

The former White Sox legend and broadcaster sadly recently passed away after a short battle with an illness. He was 79 years old.

He’s Gone

Melton played third base for the Sox, and he played at a time when the hot corner was loaded with talent around the league.

Even so, he had some standout seasons, hitting 33 home runs in back-to-back seasons to start of the 1970s.

Between 1968 and 1975, Melton went yard 154 times, setting a team record that stood for nearly a dozen years before it was broken by Harold Baines.

White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf stated,  "Bill Melton enjoyed two tremendous careers with the White Sox. His first came as a celebrated home run king for White Sox teams in the early 1970s, where 'Beltin Bill' brought power to a franchise that played its home games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark.

"Bill's second career came as a well-liked and respected pre- and postgame television analyst, where on a nightly basis Sox fans saw his passion for the team, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many at the White Sox and around baseball, and his booming voice will be missed."

Melton played in the majors from 1968 through 1977. All but two of those seasons were with the White Sox.

In 1976, he played for California, playing in 118 games. He had his worst season of his career, hitting only .208 with six home runs.

His final season was with Cleveland, where he played 50 games, hitting .241.

Throughout his career, he hit 160 home runs, 591 RBIs, and a lifetime average of .253.

Once his playing days were over, he transitioned to the booth, retiring altogether in 2020.