Bill Beckmann
From BR Bullpen
William Aloysius Beckmann
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
- School Washington University in Saint Louis
- Debut May 2, 1939
- Final Game September 20, 1942
- Born December 8, 1907 in Clayton, MO USA
- Died January 2, 1990 in Florissant, MO USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Missouri native Bill Beckmann spent fifteen active seasons in professional baseball from 1929 to 1943.
Beckmann spent four of those seasons in the major leagues from 1939 to 1942. He won 20 and lost 25 for the Philadelphia Athletics. He made his debut on May 2, 1939 and closed out his big league efforts, after a short stint with a 1-0 record, with the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1942.
During his twelve seasons in the minor leagues, Beckmann had ten double-digit winning seasons. His best record appears to have came early on while in the lower minors - in 1931, when he had a league leading 24-8 year, with a 2.46 ERA in 44 games for the Springfield Red Wings of the class C Western Association. His numbers helped his team to the league championship and put Bill on the All-Star team.
Seven years later in 1938, Bill had another big year, this time against the Southern Association teams, going 20-13 with a 3.34 ERA for the Atlanta Crackers, who with his help, not only won the league championship but also the play-off crown and shut-out the Beaumont Exporters in the Dixie Series playoff, 4 games to 0. It was at this point, October 4, 1938, that the Philadelphia Athletics obtained the 30-year-old pitcher in the Rule V Draft from the Atlanta team.
1943 watched Beckmann finish out his fifteen-year run in the game with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association with a 5-9 record at the age of 35. This gave him a minor league record of 168-131 while pitching 2,419 and 2/3 innings in 422 games. Bill finished up his major league career with a 21-25 record and a 4.79 ERA while pitching 440 innings in 90 games.
After baseball, Bill made his home in Florissant, MO. He worked and lived there until his death on January 2, 1990 of a blood clot at the age of 82.
