The Chicago WhiteSox announced that “Beltin'” Bill Metlon, their former All-Star third baseman, died after a brief illness at the age of 79.
“Bill Melton, who played 10 seasons in the major leagues, including eight with the White Sox, and was a popular pre- and postgame analyst for White Sox broadcasts for more than two decades, died early this morning in Phoenix after a brief illness .’ reads the team’s statement.
Melton was known for his powerful bat, crushing 33 home runs in consecutive seasons in 1970 and 1971, the latter of which he secured. only All-Star bid.
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Chicago White Sox Bill Melton hits a home run in a game against the Texas Rangers. (GETTY IMAGES)
Melton would hit 154 home runs for Chicago from 1968 to 1975, which was a record for the organization until Hall of Fame outfielder Harold Baines broke it in 1987.
“Bill Melton has had two great careers with the White Sox,” team president Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “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.
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“Bill’s second career came as a beloved and respected pre- and post-game television analyst, where Sox fans saw his passion for the team every night, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many at the White Sox and around baseball, and his booming voice will be missed.”
Bill Melton, #14 of the Chicago White Sox, in action during a Major League Baseball spring training baseball game circa 1973 in Sarasota, Florida. Melton played for the White Sox from 1968 to 1975. (Focus on Sports/Getty Images)
After playing a season at the Angels from Los Angeles and the Cleveland Guardians, Melton retired after the 1997 campaign. He finished his career hitting .253/.337/.419 with 160 home runs, 591 RBI and 1,004 hits.
But as Reinsdorf mentions, Melton’s second baseball career was also a flourishing one.
He became a White Sox analyst for WGN in 1998 and would later join Comcast SportsNet Chicago in 2005. From then on, he would serve as an analyst for the White Sox until 2020, when he retired.
Bill Melton, one of the Chicago White Sox players selected to the 1971 American League All Star team, currently leads the American League in home runs with 20, as of July 10. (Getty images.)
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In between his retirement from playing and broadcasting, Melton was also known as a part-time scout and team ambassador for the White Sox, most notably as a hitting instructor for NBA great Michael Jordan in 1993 when he played in the team’s minor leagues.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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