Lewis Bekeza was a longtime minor league baseball player and manager, as well as a minor league general manager.

Playing career

Bekeza played from 1938 to 1941, missing 1942 to 1945 to 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 then played from 1946 to 1952 and in 1954. Over the course of his 12-year minor league career, Bekeza played in at least 1,238 minor league games, collecting at least 1,367 hits.

Managing career

In 1946 and 1947, Bekeza managed the Elizabethton Betsy Cubs

Elizabethton Betsy Cubs

The Elizabethton Betsy Cubs were an Appalachian League baseball team based in Elizabethton, Tennessee, USA that existed from 1945 to 1948. They were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs....

, leading them to a loss in the league finals in 1946. He managed the Marion Cubs

Marion Cubs

The Marion Cubs were an Ohio State League and Ohio-Indiana League baseball team based in Marion, Ohio, USA. They were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs and played their home games at Lincoln Park....

 and Janesville Cubs

Janesville Cubs

The Janesville Cubs were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1941 to 1942 and from 1947 to 1953. They played in the Wisconsin State League and were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. They were based in Janesville, Wisconsin. They played their home games at the Rock County 4H...

 in 1948, each for part of the season. In 1949, he led the Centralia Cubs

Centralia Cubs

The Centralia Cubs were an Illinois State League and Mississippi-Ohio Valley League baseball team based in Centralia, Illinois, USA. They were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs in 1947 and 1948, and they played their home games at Fan's Field....

 to the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League

Mississippi-Ohio Valley League

The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League was an American minor league baseball league. It operated from 1949 through 1955.-1949:Teams from Belleville, Illinois, Centralia, Illinois, Marion, Illinois, Mattoon, Illinois, Mount Vernon, Illinois, and West Frankfort, Illinois moved from the Illinois State...

 playoffs, although they lost in the first round. He managed the Centralia Sterlings

Centralia Sterlings

The Centralia Sterlings were a Mississippi-Ohio Valley League baseball team based in Centralia, Illinois, USA that played in 1950. They played their home games at Fan's Field. They finished first in the league in their only year of existence, however the finals for the league playoffs against the...

 in 1950 and the Centralia Zeroes in 1951, leading them to a first round loss in the league's playoffs. In 1952, he managed the Yuma Panthers

Yuma Panthers

The Yuma Panthers were a Sunset League and Southwest International League baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, USA. Frank Gabler and Ed Mayer played for them....

. He did not manage in 1953, although he did manage the Mount Vernon Kings

Mount Vernon Kings

The Mount Vernon Kings were a Mississippi-Ohio Valley League baseball team based in Mount Vernon, Illinois, USA that played from 1949 to 1954. They played their home games at Veterans Park. Roy Lee played for them....

in 1954.

In 1950 and 1951, he served as the general manager of the Centralia teams he managed.

Anecdote

Bekeza was involved in a situation on July 4, 1947, while managing the Elizabethton Betsy Cubs. During that game, Bekeza started an argument with umpire Jeff Puckett, who ended up being knocked unconscious and getting a broken nose by an angry Elizabethton fan. Bekeza was fined $20 and suspended three games for starting the initial argument, and the team was fined $75 for allowing money to be collected in the stands to pay the fine levied on Puckett's attacker.