Forgotten Sox: Zeke Bonura

Henry John "Zeke" Bonura was born September 20th, 1908. On that day, Frank Smith no hit the Philadelphia A's in a 1-0 victory for the Chi-Sox. He obtained his nickname "Zeke" from legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne, who remarked upon seeing him "What A Physique!" Zeke would grow up to be a star in multiple sports.

Zeke Bonura attended St. Stanislaus High School in Mississippi at the age of 16, where he starred in many sports, including track and field. In 1925, he competed in the AAU National Track & Field Championships. He entered the javelin throw and recorded a mark of 65.18 meters, the longest ever recorded at the championship by 20 feet. This record fell just five years later, but he is still the youngest person to ever win an event at the AAU Championships. After high school, Zeke would go on to attend college at Loyola in New Orleans, Louisiana.

As a freshman in 1927, Bonura played on and coached, the freshman basketball team because Loyola did not field a varsity team that year. He also served as captain of the team and was its “super player,” scoring 226 points, an average of 25 points per game. His total was more than half of the team’s total.  As a sophomore, he continued his phenomenal scoring record in varsity competition, and was named the outstanding forward of the AAU League in which Loyola participated. He probably would have become one of Loyola’s all time great athletes, but he left the university at the end of his second year to sign a professional baseball contract. Bonura returned to the university for the 1930-31 season to coach the varsity basketball team. Bonura also played on the football team during his first two years.[1]

That contract he signed was with an independent team in the Southern Association known as the New Orleans Pelicans. He played for other teams such as the Indianapolis Indians and Dallas Steers between 1931 and 1933. Toward the end of the minor league season in 1933, the White Sox purchased his contract from the Dallas Steers. Just two seasons later Dallas would become an official White Sox affiliate.

Upon arriving for Spring Training, Bill Henry wrote: "Remember the farmer who stood in front of the hippo’s cage for twenty minutes and then said ‘There ain’t no such animal?’ He should see Zeke. Zeke has legs like Jim Londo’s (who was a wrestler during that time period) chest, weighs 220 pounds on the hoof and scampers around first base with astounding agility."

Bonura found instant success in his first season as White Sox starting first baseman. He hit .302/27/110 with a .925 OPS in his rookie season.  He could have won rookie of the year, but that award did not begin until 1947.  His 27 home runs remained the White Sox rookie record until Ron Kittle hit 35 in his 1983 rookie campaign. Upon finding out that he had broken Zeke Bonura's rookie Sox record, he remarked: "Oh yea, Zeke...he was my hero." This was also the team record for any season and stood until 1950 when Gus "Ozark Ike" Zernial would hit 29.

Zeke saw only a small sophomore slump in his second year, still having a very productive .295/21/92 season. One highlight from his 1935 season was noted in the August 27th, 1935 issue of the New York Times:

The Yankees fought their longest battle of the year today before 15,000 fans at Comiskey Park and lost to the White Sox. In the fifteenth inning of the first game in their second straight double-header here, the slow-footed Zeke Bonura summoned an amazing burst of speed when he caught Jimmy De Shong in the midst of a long wind-up and stole home with the run that won for the Sox, 9 to 8.[2]

A first baseman whose description of his "speed" sounds a lot like Paul Konerko, managed to steal home because the guy wasn't pitching out of the stretch, and in the fifteenth inning. Sounds like an awesome way to win a game to me. This is definitely one of those plays that I wish had existing footage.

In 1936, Zeke put up a line of .330/12/138 with a .908 OPS. In 1937, his line was .345/19/100 with a .984 OPS. You would think a player of his calibur of production would be adored by all as a hero of the Southside, but you would be wrong. He may have had love among the fans, but there was no such love among manager Jimmy Dykes or ownership. To say his relationship there was strained would be understating the situation.

He held out every Spring Training for more money according to sources. He also played first base with as little effort as possible. I think he missed his calling as a DH as he had absolutely no desire to play the field. He actually lead AL first basemen in overall fielding but only because he refused to field anything that wasn't hit directly to him, leading to no chance to make an error. Zeke's signature "play" at first base was to wave his glove mockingly at the ball as it skipped past just a few feet away from him, as a white flag signaling that he had only made a sarcastic attempt on the play.

Apparently the final straw that broke the camel's back was his repeated attempts to "court" the daughter of owner J. Lou Comiskey. He was traded to the Washington Senators for the 1938 season. In 1939, he was signed by the New York Giants. Apparently there were players who didn't like Bonura either. In a game in 1939 against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Leo Durocher deliberately spiked him on a double play. Zeke threw the ball at Durocher, then chased him into right field where he landed a few punches before umpires separated them and ejected both men.[3] 

Overall, his numbers were good but declined in 1939 and 1940 and he signed up for military service after that season. He would not play another game in the Majors. He finished his career with a .307/119/704 line. He finished his career with a 121 OPS+. This ranks him among some great players who finished with similar OPS+ including: Tony Perez (122), Gil Hodges (120), Mark Grace (119), Pete Rose (118), and Andres Galarraga (118) and Hall of Famers Jim Bottomley (125) and George Sisler (124).

Zeke, along with Hank Greenberg, finished their service time, and were released from the Army because they were over 28 on December 5th, 1941. Two days later, the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor and Bonura and Greenberg would immediately re-enlist. Bonura joined a long list of over 500 men who would trade their baseball uniforms for military ones. During his tenure in the military, Bonura recieved the Legion of Merit award while serving in the US Army during World War 2, for his work as athletic director for the Army in Oran, Algeria in 1943 and 1944.

The ceremony was very special for him when receiving the Merit award. He was given this award by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. As Zeke tells the story: “It was on Goat Hill,” Bonura recalled. ‘They had the troops drawn up and I was called out, and the general pinned the medal on me. I was so proud, I could have cried. I hadn't fired a shot in the war and here I was getting a medal on Goat Hill. A lot of our guys died taking that hill.”[4]

While searching for more information on Bonura, I stumbled across an old poster advertising "Zeke Bonura's New Orleans Pro Basket Ball Team vs Delmas All Stars." This game apparently took place on February 5th, 1940.  As stated earlier, he had been a star basketball player for Loyola College. He also organized wrestling and boxing events.

 

After war, he went back to baseball.  From 1946-1952 he played for various independent teams, racking up a .367/62 line (RBI were not recorded accurately). He was finished as a player in 1952 after just two games with the Midland, Texas Indians at the age of 43. In 1953, he managed the Fargo-Moorhead Twins, a Cleveland Indians affiliate. The team won the league title behind a young Roger Maris. Zeke never married and in his life after baseball, he raised and sold pedigree beagles. Zeke Bonura died March 9th, 1987, and was buried in a cemetery in New Orleans.[5]

 

During his baseball career, Zeke was often teased about his nose. He earned the nickname "Banana Nose".  In a radio interview before a 1935 White Sox/Yankees game, legendary dugout heckler, Babe Ruth, asked listeners, "Say, Is that Zeke's nose, or did his pants fall down?" He was definitely one of the most colorful characters of baseball history. He should not have been forgotten like he has been. Zeke was the ultimate sports athlete and could have succeeded at nearly any sport he attempted. He chose baseball over all others, America's Pastime. In 1929, it was the premier sport garnering the most recognition. No doubt, most kids who dreamed to become sport stars, dreamed of playing in the Major Leagues with Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby.

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While his Major League baseball career was relatively short and incomplete, his overall life is certainly that of a sports hall of famer. He has been awarded such, inducted into the Loyola, Louisiana and Italian American Sports Halls Of Fame.[6] Zeke certainly earned those accolades and should be known as one of the greatest 'athletes' of all time; as well as a great Sock, despite his poor defense. I wonder if it could have been different for him had there been a DH? We'll never know.

[1]http://alumni.loyno.edu/s/1135/NoRtCol.aspx?sid=1135&gid=1&pgid=830
[2]http://goldenrankings.com/baseballlore3.htm
[3][4]http://www.lasportshall.com/inductees/baseball/henry-zeke-bonura/?back=inductee
[5]http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5861207
[6]http://www.niashf.org/Inductee_Search.php?f=1&iid=29