Clyde Beck
Encyclopedia
Clyde Eugene "Jersey" Beck (born January 6, 1900 in Bassett, California
) was a right-handed infielder
in Major League Baseball
for the Chicago Cubs
and Cincinnati Reds
from 1926 to 1931.
Beck spent the first five seasons of his career with the Cubs. After making his major league debut on May 19, 1926, Beck was used as a reserve second baseman
for the Cubs, playing in 30 games and finishing with a .198 batting average
, only one extra-base hit (a home run
), and 4 RBI
. The next season, he was in the Cubs' lineup more often than not, playing in 117 games. He saw some time at third base and shortstop as well as his familiar second base position. His .258 average would prove to be the best of his career, as would his tally of doubles (20) and triples (5).
During the 1928 campaign, Beck saw considerably more time at third base (87 games) and shortstop (47 games) than second base (1 game). Freddie Maguire
had become the everyday second sacker, but Beck had certainly become an infield fixture for the Cubs. He posted career highs in at-bats, runs, hits, and RBI, batting a solid .257 as Chicago fell just four wins short of first place and a trip to the World Series
. In 1929, Rogers Hornsby
, Norm McMillan
and Woody English
proved to be a dependable trio of infielders for the club and Beck was again relegated to backup status. He played in just 54 games and batted only .211, collecting a mere seven extra-base hits all year, all of them doubles. Though the Cubs made the World Series after the season, Beck did not appear in any of the Series' five games as the Philadelphia Athletics won four games to one.
Beck saw some increased playing time in 1930; in fact, he played more games at shortstop than any Cub except English, who split his time almost evenly between shortstop and third base. He also saw somewhat of a power surge, hitting a career-high six home runs in 244 at-bats. In fact, that matched the total number of home runs he'd hit in 1,145 at-bats over his first four seasons. However, his batting average was again low at .213, and the Cubs put Beck on waivers after the season ended.
Claimed by the Cincinnati Reds for 1931, Beck found himself as a backup third baseman and occasional shortstop, and his numbers plummeted. He managed to hit just .154 in 53 games and played his last game in the majors on September 11, 1931.
Beck died on July 15, 1988 in Temple City, California
.
Bassett, California
Bassett is an unincorporated community in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located within the Census boundaries of Avocado Heights...
) was a right-handed infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from 1926 to 1931.
Beck spent the first five seasons of his career with the Cubs. After making his major league debut on May 19, 1926, Beck was used as a reserve second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
for the Cubs, playing in 30 games and finishing with a .198 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, only one extra-base hit (a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
), and 4 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. The next season, he was in the Cubs' lineup more often than not, playing in 117 games. He saw some time at third base and shortstop as well as his familiar second base position. His .258 average would prove to be the best of his career, as would his tally of doubles (20) and triples (5).
During the 1928 campaign, Beck saw considerably more time at third base (87 games) and shortstop (47 games) than second base (1 game). Freddie Maguire
Freddie Maguire
Frederick Edward Maguire was an American professional baseball player and scout.He played six years as a second baseman in Major League Baseball: 1922-23 with the New York Giants, 1928 with the Chicago Cubs, and 1929-31 with the Boston Braves,- New York Giants :A Roxbury, Massachusetts native,...
had become the everyday second sacker, but Beck had certainly become an infield fixture for the Cubs. He posted career highs in at-bats, runs, hits, and RBI, batting a solid .257 as Chicago fell just four wins short of first place and a trip to the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. In 1929, Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
, Norm McMillan
Norm McMillan
Norman Alexis McMillan , was a Major League Baseball third baseman. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors, between and , for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago Cubs.-External links:...
and Woody English
Woody English
Elwood George "Woody" English was an American shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for twelve seasons with the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers.- Early life :...
proved to be a dependable trio of infielders for the club and Beck was again relegated to backup status. He played in just 54 games and batted only .211, collecting a mere seven extra-base hits all year, all of them doubles. Though the Cubs made the World Series after the season, Beck did not appear in any of the Series' five games as the Philadelphia Athletics won four games to one.
Beck saw some increased playing time in 1930; in fact, he played more games at shortstop than any Cub except English, who split his time almost evenly between shortstop and third base. He also saw somewhat of a power surge, hitting a career-high six home runs in 244 at-bats. In fact, that matched the total number of home runs he'd hit in 1,145 at-bats over his first four seasons. However, his batting average was again low at .213, and the Cubs put Beck on waivers after the season ended.
Claimed by the Cincinnati Reds for 1931, Beck found himself as a backup third baseman and occasional shortstop, and his numbers plummeted. He managed to hit just .154 in 53 games and played his last game in the majors on September 11, 1931.
Beck died on July 15, 1988 in Temple City, California
Temple City, California
Temple City is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Temple City is part of a cluster of cities, along with Arcadia, Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Marino, and San Gabriel, in the west San Gabriel Valley with a rapidly growing Asian population. Temple City also has a Cuban and Puerto Rican...
.