Belich, 'Savvy' Scout for Brewers, Phillies, Dies at 83

.c The Associated Press

09/05/03 12:56 EDT

MILWAUKEE (Sept. 5) -- Emil Belich, the Milwaukee Brewers scout who signed Paul Molitor and Jim Gantner, died of prostate cancer. He was 83.

Belich died Wednesday night at his home in West Allis after being diagnosed with cancer in January.

"He had wonderful judgment, marvelous judgment,'' said baseball commissioner Bud Selig, former president of the Brewers. "He was one of the savviest scouts I knew, frankly.''

Belich became a scout and batting practice pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. He scouted for Philadelphia in the early 1960s and was hired by the Brewers in 1971. He signed Molitor and Gantner, who became two of Milwaukee's stars on the pennant-winning team of 1982.

He worked for Major League Baseball's scouting bureau in the mid-1980s before returning to the Phillies, where he was employed since 1991.

Belich is survived by his son, Miles.