The Chicago White Sox Announced “Beltin'” Bill Metlan, their former All-Star third baseman, has died at the age of 79 after a brief illness.
“Bill Melton, who played 10 seasons in the major leagues, including eight with the White Sox, and served as a popular pre- and post-game analyst for White Sox telecasts for two decades, died this morning in Phoenix after a brief illness,” a team statement read.
Melton was known for his powerful bat, crushing 33 homers in back-to-back seasons in 1970 and 1971, in which he hit his second. A lone All-Star bid.
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Bill Melton of the Chicago White Sox hits a homer in a game against the Texas Rangers. (Getty Images)
Melton hit 154 home runs for Chicago from 1968-75, a record for the organization until Hall of Fame outfielder Harold Baines broke it in 1987.
“Bill Melton has enjoyed two wonderful careers with the White Sox,” team president Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His first came as home run king for the 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 well-liked and respected pre- and postseason television analyst, where Sox fans saw his passion for the team on a nightly basis, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many around the White Sox and baseball, and his booming voice will be missed.”
Bill Melton, #14 of the Chicago White Sox, in 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 one season Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians, Melton retired after the 1997 campaign. He finished his career hitting .253/.337/.419 with 160 homers, 591 RBI and 1,004 hits.
But, as Reinsdorf mentions, Melton’s second career in baseball flourished.
He became a White Sox analyst for WGN in 1998 and then joined Comcast SportsNet Chicago in 2005. From there he served as an analyst for the White Sox until his retirement in 2020.
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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Between playing and retirement from 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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