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Those Who Died That Others Might Be Free

 

Louis Elko

 

Date and Place of Birth: 1924 Streator, Illinois
Date and Place of Death: Unknown
Baseball Experience: Minor League
Position: Infield/Pitcher
Rank: Unknown
Military Unit: US Army
Area Served: Unknown

 

Louis Elko was born in Streator, Illinois in 1924. Louis Elko attended Streator High School where his athletic exploits have become almost legendary. In four years of competition, from 1939 to 1942, Streator High amassed a won-loss record of 58-12, including three trips to the State finals and a second-place finish in 1942. Elko hit 15 home runs during that time - a school record that was not broken until 2000, and batted over .400 in three of the seasons. He also accumulated 89 hits, a record that stood until 1999, and he is the only player in the top 12 on the career hits list to have played before 1997. On the mound, with future major leaguer, Ralph "Rube" Novotney, as his batterymate, Elko tied a school record for wins, going 16-3 from 1940 to 1942. He still ranks third on Streator's all-time list.

 

"What's key to consider here," explains Kevin Missel of streatorsports.com, "is that Streator High School's baseball program has been a very good one since 1942. So the fact that his place on the leader list still stands 60 years later is even more of an accomplishment."

 

And Elko's athletic talents weren't just restricted to the baseball diamond. He was also a standout in basketball on the most famous and most successful Streator High team in history - the 1941-42 team that posted a 31-2 record with Elko as starting point guard under legendary coach, Lowell "Pops" Dale.

 

Elko signed with the Cubs straight after graduation in 1942 and was preparing to play in their minor league system, but military service was just around the corner. Elko served with the Army and was killed in a training accident. "It's always been said that the war cut short what could have been an all-star big-league career," says Missel.

 

Thanks to Kevin Missel of streatorsports.com for help with this biography.

 

Added December 22, 2006.

Copyright © 2007 Gary Bedingfield (Baseball in Wartime). All Rights Reserved.