Glenn Beckert
Encyclopedia
Glenn Alfred Beckert is a former American
professional
baseball
player. He played in Major League
as a second baseman
for the Chicago Cubs
for nine seasons from to before ending his career with the San Diego Padres
in .
as an amateur free agent
by the Boston Red Sox
in , then selected by Chicago Cubs from Red Sox in the first-year minor league
draft. He spent three years in the minors as a shortstop
, where he led the Pacific Coast League
in putouts and assists
in . Following the sudden death of Cubs second baseman, Ken Hubbs
in 1964
, the Cubs brought Beckert to the major leagues as their second baseman for the 1965
season.
Beckert played nine seasons as the Cubs' second baseman. During his entire Cub tenure, he played alongside shortstop Don Kessinger
. Beckert led the National League
in assists during his rookie year, and went on to become a four-time All-Star
. He was a tough batter, leading the league five times in fewest strikeout
s per at bat
s. In 1968
, he led the league in runs
and won the National League Gold Glove Award
for second baseman. He had his best offensive season in 1971
when he had a .342 batting average
to finish third in the National League batting championship behind Joe Torre
and Ralph Garr
.
After the 1973
season, he was traded along with Bobby Fenwick
to the San Diego Padres
for Jerry Morales
. Beckert was a utility
infielder
and pinch hitter
with the Padres before being released in April 1975
. He is an inductee in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
.
, accumulating 1,473 hits
in 5,208 at bats for a .283 career batting average along with 22 home runs and 360 runs batted in. He posted a .973 career fielding percentage
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played in Major League
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...
as a 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 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...
for nine seasons from to before ending his career with the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in .
Baseball career
Beckert was drafted from Allegheny CollegeAllegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in , then selected by Chicago Cubs from Red Sox in the first-year minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
draft. He spent three years in the minors as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, where he led the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in putouts and assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
in . Following the sudden death of Cubs second baseman, Ken Hubbs
Ken Hubbs
Kenneth Douglass Hubbs was an American second baseman who played from to for the Chicago Cubs in the National League. He was killed in a plane crash near Provo, Utah prior to the 1964 season....
in 1964
1964 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs finished in eighth place in the National League, as they went 76-86, 17 games behind the NL and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :...
, the Cubs brought Beckert to the major leagues as their second baseman for the 1965
1965 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1964: 1964 minor league draft**Bobby Cox was drafted by the Cubs from the Los Angeles Dodgers.**Chris Krug was drafted by the Cubs from the St...
season.
Beckert played nine seasons as the Cubs' second baseman. During his entire Cub tenure, he played alongside shortstop Don Kessinger
Don Kessinger
Donald Eulon Kessinger is a former American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox...
. Beckert led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in assists during his rookie year, and went on to become a four-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. He was a tough batter, leading the league five times in fewest strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s per at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. In 1968
1968 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 28, 1967: Ramón Hernández was drafted by the Cubs from the Atlanta Braves in the 1967 rule 5 draft.* November 30, 1967: Paul Popovich and Jim Williams were traded by the Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Lou Johnson....
, he led the league in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and won the National League Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
for second baseman. He had his best offensive season in 1971
1971 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1970: Hoyt Wilhelm was traded by the Cubs to the Atlanta Braves for Hal Breeden.* December 3, 1970: Phil Gagliano was traded by the Cubs to the Boston Red Sox for Carmen Fanzone.- Notable transactions :...
when he had a .342 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 :...
to finish third in the National League batting championship behind Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
and Ralph Garr
Ralph Garr
Ralph Allen Garr is a former Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox and California Angels. He batted left-handed and threw right...
.
After the 1973
1973 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 27, 1972: Elrod Hendricks was traded by the Cubs to the Baltimore Orioles for Frank Estrada.- Regular season :Of note is that 1973 is the only season between 1945 and 1984 in which the Cubs were still in contention on the last day of the regular season, September 30...
season, he was traded along with Bobby Fenwick
Bobby Fenwick
Robert Richard Fenwick , is a retired Major League Baseball player who played infielder from -. He would play for the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...
to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for Jerry Morales
Jerry Morales
Julio Ruben "Jerry" Morales Torres is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from -.-Career:Morales was originally signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent at the age of 17 in 1966...
. Beckert was a utility
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
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...
and pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
with the Padres before being released in April 1975
1975 San Diego Padres season
The 1975 San Diego Padres season was the 7th in franchise history. It was the first season in which the Padres did not finish in the National League West cellar , and brought the promise of an owner who would make the necessary changes to the organization.- Offseason :* October 3, 1974: Horace...
. He is an inductee in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, located in the Hawthorne Race Course, in Stickney/Cicero, near Chicago, Illinois, honors sports greats associated with the greater Chicago area. It was founded in 1979 as a trailer owned by the Olympia Brewing Company parked at Soldier Field in Chicago. The...
.
Career statistics
In an 11 year career, Beckert played in 1,320 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1,473 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 5,208 at bats for a .283 career batting average along with 22 home runs and 360 runs batted in. He posted a .973 career fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
.