Milt Bocek
Encyclopedia
Milton F. Bocek is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
. During his playing career, he had an official heights of 6'1", and an official weight of 185 pounds. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was popularly known as "Beltin' Bo from Cicero".
While Bocek was a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, he became a fairly prominent summer amateur and semipro player in baseball and softball. Chicago White Sox
manager Lew Fonseca
noticed him and arranged a tryout at Comiskey Park
, during which Bocek hit several balls into the upper deck. He signed with the White Sox in the second half of 1933, becoming the fifth-youngest player in Major League Baseball that season, and then spent the first part of the 1934 season with the team as well. Subsequently, he played several years in the minor league systems of the St. Louis Cardinals
and the New York Yankees
.
After the end of Bocek's playing career, he worked as a draftsman for Danly Machine Company and later at a family owned business, also serving in the United States Army
during World War II
. He was married to his wife Victoria for 58 years before her death in 2006, and they had three children and eight grandchildren. Until Bocek's death on April 29, 2007, he held the distinction of being the oldest living White Sox player. He died in Brookfield, Illinois
after a brief illness. He is buried next to his wife at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, IL
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. During his playing career, he had an official heights of 6'1", and an official weight of 185 pounds. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was popularly known as "Beltin' Bo from Cicero".
While Bocek was a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, he became a fairly prominent summer amateur and semipro player in baseball and softball. Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager Lew Fonseca
Lew Fonseca
Lewis Albert Fonseca was an American first and second baseman in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox over a 12-year career. While not a power hitter, he hit for average and was a good contact hitter for most of his career...
noticed him and arranged a tryout at Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
, during which Bocek hit several balls into the upper deck. He signed with the White Sox in the second half of 1933, becoming the fifth-youngest player in Major League Baseball that season, and then spent the first part of the 1934 season with the team as well. Subsequently, he played several years in the minor league systems of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
After the end of Bocek's playing career, he worked as a draftsman for Danly Machine Company and later at a family owned business, also serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was married to his wife Victoria for 58 years before her death in 2006, and they had three children and eight grandchildren. Until Bocek's death on April 29, 2007, he held the distinction of being the oldest living White Sox player. He died in Brookfield, Illinois
Brookfield, Illinois
Brookfield is a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, west of downtown. The population was 19,085 at the 2000 census...
after a brief illness. He is buried next to his wife at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, IL
Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,155 at the 2000 census.One notable landmark in Hillside is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the grounds of the cemetery are the graves of a number of organized crime figures, such as Al Capone and Dion O'Bannion...
.