Boudreau was voted the fifth Greatest Athlete in Chicago History by a Sun-Times panel despite being better known to generations of Chicagoans as a beloved Cubs broadcaster. The eight-time All-Star hit .300 four times, won the American League batting title in 1944, the MVP in '48 and led AL shortstops in fielding percentage eight times. The HALl of Famer will be remembered forever in Cleveland as the player-manager who during his MVP season led the Indians to their last World Series title.

''In 1948,'' Bill Veeck wrote in Veeck -- As in Wreck, ''Lou had the greatest season any player has ever had.''

He played what he cALled ''prairie bALl'' in sandlots, studied Stan Hack at Wrigley Field and starred for his grammar school and American Legion teams. BasebALl was not his No. 1 sport growing up, however. Boudreau was known primarily as a three-time ALl-state basketbALl player who led Thornton to the state finALs three years in a row.

As a 5-9, 15-year-old sophomore team captain during an era when a center jump followed every made basket, Boudreau was a key member of a Thornton team nicknamed the ''Flying Clouds'' that posted a 14-13 win over Springfield in the 1933 state-championship game. Boudreau's Thornton team returned to the state finALs the next two years, losing both games.

''I loved basketbALl, and my best sport was basketbALl,'' he once told the Sun-Times.

His father, a machinist and semi-pro basebALl player, saw his youngest son's future in basebALl. He regularly hit Lou a hundred ground bALls. Older brother Albert, who was 10 years his senior, counted how many he fielded cleaNLy. Boudreau spent his summers playing in semi-pro leagues.

He helped the Illini to a conference championship in basketbALl as a sophomore in 1937 and was team captain the next year. Dubbed the ''Flying Frenchman,'' Boudreau was not a prolific scorer but was a distributor and one of the best bALlhandlers in the game.

Boudreau had turned down an offer from the Cubs to turn pro to accept a basketbALl scholarship from Illinois. Curiously enough, however, playing basebALl for the Illini, he once recALled, ''was not even mentioned.''

He'd make an instant impact in basebALl just the same. Although he'd be one of the best shortstops of his generation, he played third at Illinois and hit .347 to help the Illini win a Big Ten title while proving he had the ALl-around skills to be a top prospect.

''If he doesn't make good in the majors, then I don't know how you can tell a bALlplayer when you see one,'' Illinois coach WALly Roettger said.

Boudreau's college career ended when he was declared ineligible by Big Ten officiALs after it was learned that the Indians were paying his divorced parents as part of a verbAL agreement to ensure he would sign with Cleveland when his college eligibility expired. Two years later, he made his major-league debut.

His performance in a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox in '48 remains legendary. Boudreau went 4-for-4 with two homers. He hit four doubles in the World Series triumph over the Boston Braves.

Boudreau played for and managed the Indians until 1950 before moving to the Red Sox. He became the manager in Boston in 1952 and played his last game that season. He lasted as Red Sox manager until 1954. He managed the Kansas City Athletics for two-plus seasons (1955-57) and the Cubs for one (1960). Then it was on to the broadcast booth, where ''The Good Kid'' spent nearly three decades paired with Jack QuiNLan, Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd.

''I used to deliver food from our house to neighbors, an old German couple,'' he said at his HALl of Fame induction in 1970. ''He was a Civil War veteran. When they would take the food, they would say, in the German manner, 'We thank you too much.' That's the way I feel today. I am 1,000 times obliged, and I thank you too much.''

Comment at suntimes.com.

- - -

THE LOU BOUDREAU FILE

Full name: Louis

''Lou'' Boudreau.

Sports: BasketbALl, basebALl.

High school: Thornton.

College: Illinois.

Career highlights: Star of Thornton team that won 1933 state basketbALl title, finished second in '34 and '35 and went 85-8 during his three years. Three-time ALl-state performer ranked among ''100 Legends of Boys BasketbALl Tournament'' by Illinois High School Association. Captain of Illinois basketbALl and basebALl teams. Hit .347 on Big Ten championship team as a sophomore. Helped Illinois basketbALl team to a Big Ten title in 1937 and was voted team captain the next year. Ruled ineligible after making verbAL agreement with Cleveland Indians . Became an eight-time major-league All-Star and four-time .300 hitter. Named Indians player-manager at 24. Won the American League batting title in 1944. Named AL Most VALuable Player in 1948 after hitting .355 with 18 home runs, 106 RBI and 116 runs scored while leading Indians to World Series title. Career .295 hitter led AL shortstops in fielding eight consecutive seasons. Set record for double plays (134) by a shortstop. Led league in doubles three times. Elected to BasebALl HALl of Fame in 1970. Died in 2001.