Bill Beckmann

William Aloysius Beckmann

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
• School Washington University in Saint Louis
• Debut May 2, 1939
• Final Game September 20, 1942
• Born December 8, 1907 in Clayton, MO USA
• Died January 2, 1990 in Florissant, MO USA

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BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Missouri native Bill Beckmann spent fifteen active seasons in professional baseball from 1929 to 1943. Beckmann spent parts of four seasons in the major leagues from 1939 to 1942, going 20-25 for the Philadelphia Athletics in three of those years. He made his debut on May 2, 1939, and closed his big league career after a short stint (1-0) with the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1942. Bill finished up his major league career with a 21-25 record and a 4.79 ERA while pitching 440 innings in 90 games.

During his twelve seasons in the minor leagues, Beckmann had ten double-digit winning seasons. His best record appears to have come early on in the lower minors, 1931, when he had a league leading 24-8 season with a 2.46 ERA in 44 games for the Springfield Red Wings of the Class C Western Association. His numbers helped his team to the league championship and put Bill on the All-Star team. Seven years later, in 1938, Bill had another big year, this time in the Southern Association, going 20-13 with a 3.34 ERA for the Atlanta Crackers who, with his help, not only won the league championship but also the playoff crown and swept the Beaumont Exporters in the Dixie Series playoff, 4 games to 0. It was at this point, October 4, 1938, that the Philadelphia Athletics obtained the 30-year-old pitcher in the 1938 Rule V Draft. 1943 saw Beckmann finish out his fifteen-year run in the game with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association, going 5-9 record at the age of 35. This gave him a minor league record of 168-131 while pitching 2,419 2/3 innings in 422 games.

After baseball, Bill made his home in Florissant, MO. He worked and lived there until his death on January 2, 1990, of a blood clot at 82.