Becker was born in El Dorado, Kansas in 1886. He attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri and is the only Wentworth graduate ever to play major league baseball. At Wentworth, Becker was a Lieutenant in Company A and was a member of the Bugle Corps. He played left end for the football team, was center on the basketball team, and pitched and played the outfield on the baseball nine. Becker was the recipient of Wentworth's Champion Athlete Award in 1903, his last year.
From 1908 to 1915, Becker played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Boston Doves, the New York Giants, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Philadelphia Phillies. Often upset by hometown heckling, Becker usually played better on the road. He was a fair fielder and, as a left-handed batter who had trouble with southpaw pitching, he was often platooned to face right-handers. Becker made a name for himself in the major leagues as a hard-hitting outfielder, who four times placed in the top ten in home runs in the National League during the "deadball era." In 1909, he was second in the league with 6 homers; in 1913, he was sixth with 9 homers; in 1914, he was fifth with 9 homers; and in his final season, 1915, Becker was fourth with a career-high 11 homers. In 1910, Becker became the first player to hit two pinch-hit home runs in one season. On June 9, 1913, he tied a 20th-century major league record with two inside-the-park home runs in one game. His best all-around year was 1914, when he hit .325, second in the league, with 9 home runs and 66 runs batted in for the Phillies. He played in three World Series, two with the Giants in 1911 and 1912, and one with the Phillies in 1915.
After his major league career ended, Becker bounced around the minor leagues for a number of years and was a member of the minor league champion Kansas City Blues in 1923. He died in Huntington Park, California in 1943 at the age of 57.
On episode #1309, (airing March 23, 2009) of PBS's Antiques Roadshow, a man who claimed to be Becker's great-great nephew brought two photographs and a uniform belonging to Becker to the show for appraisal. The items were valued at US$50,000.[2]
Referencesedit
^"Beals Becker Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
^"Beals Becker Uniform & Photographs". from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beals Becker.
Baseball Reference
Retrosheet
January 01, 1970
beals, becker, david, july, 1886, august, 1943, american, outfielder, major, league, baseball, from, 1908, 1915, becker, with, york, giantsoutfielderborn, 1886, july, 1886el, dorado, kansas, died, august, 1943, 1943, aged, huntington, park, california, batted,. David Beals Becker July 5 1886 August 16 1943 was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1915 1 Beals BeckerBecker with the New York GiantsOutfielderBorn 1886 07 05 July 5 1886El Dorado Kansas U S Died August 16 1943 1943 08 16 aged 57 Huntington Park California U S Batted LeftThrew LeftMLB debutApril 19 1908 for the Pittsburgh PiratesLast MLB appearanceOctober 6 1915 for the Philadelphia PhilliesMLB statisticsBatting average 276Home runs45Runs batted in296TeamsPittsburgh Pirates 1908 Boston Doves 1908 1909 New York Giants 1910 1912 Cincinnati Reds 1913 Philadelphia Phillies 1913 1915 Biography editBecker was born in El Dorado Kansas in 1886 He attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington Missouri and is the only Wentworth graduate ever to play major league baseball At Wentworth Becker was a Lieutenant in Company A and was a member of the Bugle Corps He played left end for the football team was center on the basketball team and pitched and played the outfield on the baseball nine Becker was the recipient of Wentworth s Champion Athlete Award in 1903 his last year nbsp Becker batting for the Cincinnati Reds in 1913 at the Polo Grounds in New York From 1908 to 1915 Becker played for the Pittsburgh Pirates the Boston Doves the New York Giants the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies Often upset by hometown heckling Becker usually played better on the road He was a fair fielder and as a left handed batter who had trouble with southpaw pitching he was often platooned to face right handers Becker made a name for himself in the major leagues as a hard hitting outfielder who four times placed in the top ten in home runs in the National League during the deadball era In 1909 he was second in the league with 6 homers in 1913 he was sixth with 9 homers in 1914 he was fifth with 9 homers and in his final season 1915 Becker was fourth with a career high 11 homers In 1910 Becker became the first player to hit two pinch hit home runs in one season On June 9 1913 he tied a 20th century major league record with two inside the park home runs in one game His best all around year was 1914 when he hit 325 second in the league with 9 home runs and 66 runs batted in for the Phillies He played in three World Series two with the Giants in 1911 and 1912 and one with the Phillies in 1915 In 876 games over eight seasons Becker posted a 276 batting average 763 for 2764 with 368 runs 114 doubles 43 triples 45 home runs 296 runs batted in 129 stolen bases 241 bases on balls 335 on base percentage and 397 slugging percentage He finished his career with a 954 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions After his major league career ended Becker bounced around the minor leagues for a number of years and was a member of the minor league champion Kansas City Blues in 1923 He died in Huntington Park California in 1943 at the age of 57 On episode 1309 airing March 23 2009 of PBS s Antiques Roadshow a man who claimed to be Becker s great great nephew brought two photographs and a uniform belonging to Becker to the show for appraisal The items were valued at US 50 000 2 References edit Beals Becker Statistics and History baseball reference com Retrieved 2010 12 20 Beals Becker Uniform amp Photographs Archived from the original on 27 March 2009 Retrieved 2009 03 23 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beals Becker Baseball Reference Retrosheet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beals Becker amp oldid 1189160933, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
