Chester Stranczek, American baseball player and businessman (b. 1929)
Chester K. Stranczek (November 19, 1929 – September 5, 2015) was an American businessman, politician, and former Minor League Baseball player who was the mayor of Crestwood, Illinois, for 39 years, from 1969 to 2007. He drew national attention during his tenure for cutting expenses in part by privatizing city services, and for refunding residents' property taxes for more than a decade. He was also known as a colorful character with outspoken views on political and social issues, sometimes using a personal billboard posted near the town entrance to express his political and religious beliefs.Stranczek was born in Cook County, Illinois, on November 19, 1929. He was the first of eight children born to Polish immigrants Josephine & Kanty Stranczek. Only Polish was spoken at home, and Stranczek began to speak English in first grade. He died in 2015.