Bill Melton, a former Chicago White Sox slugger who later served as an analyst on television, has passed away.
The White Sox announced Melton’s passing on X.
“Bill Melton, who played 10 seasons in the major leagues, including eight with the White Sox, and served as a popular pre and postgame analyst for White Sox telecasts for over two decades, passed away early this morning in Phoenix after a brief illness. He was 79 years old.”
Bill Melton, who played 10 seasons in the major leagues, including eight with the White Sox, and served as a popular pre and postgame analyst for White Sox telecasts for over two decades, passed away early this morning in Phoenix after a brief illness. He was 79 years old. pic.twitter.com/I5A81Zd8No
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) December 5, 2024
Melton played with the White Sox from 1968-1975. He hit a career-high 33 home runs in 1971, which led the American League, edging both Reggie Jackson and Norm Cash by one. After retiring as a player in 1977, Melton returned to the White Sox in 1992. As Scott Merkin of MLB.com detailed on Thursday, one of his jobs after returning to the team was working with Michael Jordan during his brief stint as a baseball player.
“Melton returned to Chicago in 1992 as a team ambassador and part-time scout,” Merkin wrote. “He worked with basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan following Jordan’s first retirement from the National Basketball Association in 1993, serving as one of his hitting instructors. In 1998, Melton joined the White Sox television broadcast team as an analyst for the pregame and postgame shows on WGN. He would continue in this role with Comcast SportsNet and NBC Sports Chicago until his retirement in 2020.”
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf paid tribute to Melton.
“Bill Melton enjoyed two tremendous careers with the White Sox,” Reinsdorf said, per MLB.com/Merkin. “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. Photos of Bill wearing his home run crown and others of him posing with ballpark organist Nancy Faust still generate smiles to this day. 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. Our sympathies go out to his wife Tess, and all of their family and friends.”
Chuck Garfien of the Chicago Sports Network also honored Melton, calling him “our friend” and a “White Sox hero.”
Finding it hard to express the passing of our friend and White Sox hero Bill Melton. He died overnight in Arizona after dealing with some health problems recently. The White Sox—and White Sox fans—were like family to him. He broke the mold in many ways. RIP Beltin’ Bill Melton. pic.twitter.com/unAx7Q86ip
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) December 5, 2024
“Finding it hard to express the passing of our friend and White Sox hero Bill Melton,” Garfien shared on X (formerly Twitter). “He died overnight in Arizona after dealing with some health problems recently. The White Sox—and White Sox fans—were like family to him. He broke the mold in many ways. RIP Beltin’ Bill Melton.”
[Chicago White Sox/Chuck Garfien on X, MLB.com]
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