in 1961. In 600 games over ten major-league seasons, Bilko posted a .249 batting average (432-for-1,738) with 220 runs, 76 home runs, 276 RBI, 234 bases on balls and a .444 slugging percentage. Defensively, he recorded a .992 fielding percentage as a first baseman. During his stay with the 1954 Cubs, announcer Bert Wilson placed Bilko at the end of what he hoped would be a soon-to-be-famous double play combination of Ernie Banks, Gene Baker and Bilko. His fanciful name for that trio was "Bingo to Bango to Bilko". However, Bilko got into only 47 games with the Wrigleys (only 22 of them at first base) before he was sent at season's end to the PCL Angels, the Cubs' top minor league affiliate, where he would become a legend. Bilko was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2015. Personal life His granddaughter, Barbara Bilko, was a goaltender in ice hockey for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008–09 through 2010–2011. References External links Obituary, from The Deadball Era The Bilko Athletic Club: The Story of the 1956 Los Angeles Angels Corbett, Warren, Steve Bilko, Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project 1928 births 1978 deaths Allentown Cardinals players American expatriate baseball players in Cuba American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic American expatriate baseball players in Panama Baseball players from Pennsylvania Chicago Cubs players Cincinnati Redlegs players Columbus Red Birds players Detroit Tigers players Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Los Angeles Angels players Los Angeles Dodgers players Lynchburg Cardinals players Major League Baseball first basemen Pacific Coast League MVP award winners People from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania Rochester Red Wings players St. Louis Cardinals players Salisbury Cardinals players Spokane Indians players Winston-Salem Cardinals players