Boom-Boom Beck
Boom-Boom Beck | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: Decatur, Illinois | October 16, 1904|
Died: May 7, 1987 Champaign, Illinois | (aged 82)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 22, 1924, for the St. Louis Browns | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 26, 1945, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 38–69 |
Earned run average | 4.30 |
Strikeouts | 352 |
Teams | |
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Walter William "Boom-Boom" Beck (October 16, 1904 – May 7, 1987) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played 12 seasons in the Major Leagues with the St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Beck was one of three pitchers to lead the National League in games started (35) in 1933. In 265 career games, Beck had a 38–69 won–loss total with 100 games started and 94 games finished in 1,034 innings pitched.
His nickname, Boom-Boom, was earned while pitching at Baker Bowl against the Phillies in 1934. He allowed numerous line drives that struck the outfield wall, each time making a booming sound. Manager Casey Stengel sought to remove Beck from the game. Frustrated with his performance and for being removed, Beck threw the baseball at the outfield wall, where it hit and made another booming sound. Outfielder Hack Wilson had not been paying attention; hearing the ball hit the fence and thinking that gameplay had resumed, Wilson hurriedly chased the ball down and threw it back to the infield.[1]
Beck became a pitching coach after his playing career ended, serving in that role with the Washington Senators from 1957 to 1959.[2] He also worked as a minor league pitching instructor for the Milwaukee Braves in 1960–61.[2]
References[]
- ^ "The Ballplayers - Boom Beck". BaseballLibrary.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ a b Doutrich, Paul E. "Boom-Boom Beck". sabr.org. Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
External links[]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Boom-Boom Beck at Find a Grave
- 1904 births
- 1987 deaths
- Albany Senators players
- Baseball players from Illinois
- Bloomington Bloomers players
- Brooklyn Dodgers players
- Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
- Butler Tigers players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Detroit Tigers players
- Fort Wayne Generals players
- Hollywood Stars players
- Knoxville Smokies players
- Louisville Colonels (minor league) players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball pitching coaches
- Marlin Bathers players
- Memphis Chickasaws players
- Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players
- Mission Reds players
- Palestine Pals players
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Portland Beavers players
- St. Louis Browns players
- Seattle Rainiers players
- Selma Cloverleafs players
- Sportspeople from Decatur, Illinois
- Toledo Mud Hens players
- Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players
- Washington Senators (1901–1960) coaches
- Washington Senators (1901–60) scouts
- York White Roses players
- American baseball pitcher, 1900s births stubs