Mike Balenti facts for kids

Michael Richard Balenti (born July 3, 1886 – died August 4, 1955) was a professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop and left fielder in Major League Baseball. Mike played 70 games for two teams: the Cincinnati Reds in 1911 and the St. Louis Browns in 1913.

Early Life and Family Connections

Mike Balenti had an interesting family background. His grandfather, Charles Rath, was a famous person. A town in Texas, Rath City, Texas, was even named after him!

Mike's mother was part Cheyenne. Her mother was a Cheyenne woman named Making-Out-Roads. Mike's father was an immigrant from Hungary. This means Mike had both Native American and European heritage.

Interestingly, Mike played baseball against a player named Morrie Rath. They were actually half-cousins! They didn't know they were related at the time. Morrie was Charles Rath's son from a later marriage.

Life Beyond Baseball

Mike Balenti met his wife, Cecilia Baronovich, at the Carlisle Indian School. Cecilia was an Alaska Native woman.

After they married, Mike and Cecilia lived in two different places. They spent part of the year with the Cheyenne people in Oklahoma. During the baseball off-season, they traveled to Alaska to be with Cecilia's family.

Traveling between Oklahoma and Alaska was a big adventure back then! Once, it took Mike two whole months to get from his minor league team in Chattanooga to his home in Alaska.

After he stopped playing baseball, Mike worked in construction. He lived in Altus, Oklahoma. He also spent some time coaching football for the Chattanooga Moccasins in 1914.