Steve Bilko
Steve Bilko | |
---|---|
First baseman | |
Born: Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, U.S. | November 13, 1928|
Died: March 7, 1978 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 49)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 22, 1949, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 14, 1962, for the Los Angeles Angels | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .249 |
Home runs | 76 |
Run batted in | 276 |
Teams | |
|
Stephen Thomas Bilko (November 13, 1928 – March 7, 1978) was an American
Nat Hiken, creator of The Phil Silvers Show, supposedly took the name of the character Sgt. Bilko from the ballplayer, whose long-ball heroics for one of Los Angeles' two minor-league teams of the mid-1950s made him a local celebrity.[1]
Biography
Bilko was born in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, in coal mining country, and made his debut with the Allentown Cardinals in 1945 at the age of 16 during the final year of World War II.[2]
A
In addition to the Cardinals (
In 600 games over ten major-league seasons, Bilko posted a .249
During his stay with the 1954 Cubs, announcer
Bilko was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2015.[5]
Personal life
His granddaughter, Barbara Bilko, was a goaltender in ice hockey for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008–09 through 2010–2011.[6]
References
- ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
- ^ Corbett, Warren. "Steve Bilko". Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Steve Bilko". Pacific Coast League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "Steve Bilko Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
- ^ "Shrine of the Eternals – Inductees". Baseball Reliquary. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
- ^ "Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletic Site". Ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Obituary, from The Deadball Era[dead link]
- The Bilko Athletic Club: The Story of the 1956 Los Angeles Angels
- Steve Bilko at the SABR Baseball Biography Project , by Steve Bilko, Retrieved Warren Corbett.
- Chronology, Facts, and Stats from This Day In Baseball