The White Sox family mourns the loss of former third baseman Bill Melton, who died Thursday in Phoenix after a short illness. He was 79.
Melton played with the Sox from 1968 to 1975, with his peak years being 1970 and 1971. He blasted 33 home runs in each of those seasons, with that total leading the league in 1971. That was also the year when Melton made his only All-Star appearance.
During his tenure on the South Side, he batted .258/.340/.432 with 154 home runs, 134 doubles and 535 RBIs. That total of 154 home runs ranks ninth in team history.
In fact, Melton was the franchise's all-tiime home run leader when he left the team in 1975, and that record stood until Harold Baines passed him in 1987.
I never saw Melton play with the Sox, as I was born in 1976. But for my generation, we remember "Beltin' Bill" for his work as a TV commentator on pre- and postgame shows over a period of two decades. He worked for WGN, Comcast SportsNet and NBC Sports Chicago from 1998 until his retirement in 2020.
Melton was funny, relatable and candid, and his passion for the Sox and the game of baseball was always evident. I'll remember Melton for being a truth-teller on the air. He praised the Sox when they played well, and when the team was terrible, he would indicate that they were terrible.
That seems like an obvious thing to do, but we've seen plenty of people come through the White Sox universe who are full of it. Melton was not full of it. He was honest, and Sox fans appreciate that.
Our sympathies go out to Melton's wife and his family and friends. He will be remembered fondly.
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