On the day that we learn if anyone makes the Baseball Hall of Fame through the veteran’s committee, it’s fitting that I should be posting about two greats that have recently passed.

I’ve recently noted that the ersatz sports media inappropriately call every schmo a slugger or star when they are little more than a schmo. So, calling Bill Melton and Merv Rettenmund great isn’t hyperbole or hypocritical. Coincidentally, some of the local writers have gotten it correctly regarding Beltin Bill Melton. In his case, 160 career homers does equate slugger. In the late 1960’s and early 70’s, 30 homers was a big deal and Melton was the first White Sox player to hit 30+. Was he a great player? No, but he was a great Sox player and member of the community. For years, he informed and entertained fans as a pregame and postgame host and all-around good guy. He loved the Sox but was not afraid to offer fair criticism.

As a young baseball fan, he was out in the community and was always generous with his time for fans, even Cubs fans. He good naturedly would kid about the Cubs and Cub fans. He was a great storyteller and proponent of his former teammate Dick Allen and his worthiness of the HOF. Melton was only 79.

Merv Rettenmund passed away at the age of 81 and while he was not a Chicago sports figure, I’m pretty familiar with his playing and coaching career. He played a role in WS teams in Baltimore and Cincinnati. By today’s mediocre standards, he’s what they called a professional hitter. In parts of 13 ML seasons, he slashed .271/.381/.406. On a micro/Orioles level, he batted .284 with Baltimore in six seasons. In their WS championship year (1970) he slashed .322/.394/.544 with 18 homers and 58 RBI.

Achieving legendary or great status in a particular market isn’t always statistic dependent, it helps but there’s usually a relatability factor with the fans. While I didn’t interact with Mery when he played for the Orioles, I did so when he was a hitting coach in the NL. He was both funny and gracious and I can see how fans in SD, Cincy and Baltimore liked this guy. Sox fans can imagine how Beltin Bill Melton would have reacted to the White Sox recent failures.

R.I.P.