Former Chicago Cubs second baseman Glenn Beckert died on Sunday, the team announced. He was 79. Beckert spent nine seasons with the Cubs before ending his career with the San Diego Padres. He was named to the All-Star team four times, and he also won a Gold Glove.
“Glenn more than held his own playing alongside future Hall of Famers,” the team said in a statement per Jordan Bastain of MLB.com. “After his playing days concluded, Glenn was a familiar sight at Wrigley Field and numerous Cubs Conventions, and he always had a memory to share of his time on-and-off the field with his beloved teammates. We offer our deepest condolences to Glenn’s daughters, Tracy Seaman and Dana Starck, his longtime partner Marybruce Standley and his many, many friends.”
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Beckert was a member of the Cubs from 1965-73, and he was named to the All-Star team four consecutive times. He won his Gold Glove in 1968, which is the same year he finished ninth in NL MVP Award voting. Beckert led the Majors with 98 runs scored in that same year. He also recorded a 27-game hitting streak, which ties him for the third-longest mark in Cubs history.
“I like everything about that kid Beckert,” former Cubs manager Leo Durocher said in a Chicago Sun-Times article in December 1965. “He’s got a fine chance to be one of the front-line stars in the game. He has good hands, a strong arm, and he gives the pitcher a real battle.”
One of Beckert’s best offensive seasons was in 1971 when he hit a career-high .342 batting average. He finishing third in the NL batting championship behind Joe Torre and Ralph Garr. In 1973, Beckert was traded to the San Diego Padres. In his two seasons in San Diego, Beckert was a utility infielder and pinch hitter before being released by the team in 1975.
“We lost a great one today, Glenn Beckert,” former teammate and Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins wrote on Twitter. Glenn was My friend, my @Cubs teammate, and the best man at my wedding. He will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the Beckert family.” In his MLB career, Beckert averaged 597 plate appearances and just 26 strikeouts per season. With the Cubs, Beckert hit .238 with 194 doubles and 353 RBIs in 1,247 games.
