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Mike Balenti
Shortstop
Born: (1886-07-03)July 3, 1886
Calumet, Oklahoma
Died: August 4, 1955(1955-08-04) (aged 69)
Altus, Oklahoma
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
July 19, 1911, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last appearance
September 22, 1913, for the St. Louis Browns
MLB statistics
Batting average .183
Home runs 0
Runs batted in 11
Teams

Michael Richard Balenti (July 3, 1886 – August 4, 1955) was a Major League Baseball shortstop and left fielder who played 70 games for the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Browns in 1911 and 1913, respectively.

His maternal grandfather, Charles Rath, was the namesake of Rath City, Texas. Balenti's mother was born of Charles Rath's marriage to a Cheyenne woman named Making-Out-Roads. Balenti himself was born of his mother's marriage to a Hungarian immigrant. Charles Rath's later marriage to a white woman bore him a son named Morrie Rath, against whom Balenti played in the American League without knowing they were related.

Balenti married an Alaska Native, Cecilia Baronovich, who he met while attending Carlisle Indian School. They lived among the Cheyenne in Oklahoma part-time and among Cecilia's people in Alaska during the offseasons. On at least one occasion it took Balenti two months to travel from his minor league club's home in Chattanooga to his offseason home in Alaska. After retirement, he worked in construction in Altus, Oklahoma.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Chattanooga Moccasins (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1914)
1914 Chattanooga 5–4 1–3 13th
Chattanooga: 5–4 1–3
Total: 5–4
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