My favorite Jim Beck memory dates back to the late 1990s when I first began playing in the 28+ league.  I was our team’s catcher, and Jim would periodically pitch for us.  Now, anyone who has seen Jimmy pitch knows that he relied less on “velocity” as he did on “guile.”  But the first time I caught him was a treat.

After warming him up on the field, I ran out as I always did to ask him what pitches he had that day. He said,

“Well I’ve got a slow ball, a slower ball, an even slower ball, and a curveball.”

He had four pitches.  Sounds good.  So I go back behind the plate and start working him through his repertoire only to discover that they all pretty much looked the same coming in.   Which was ok because an inning or two later it got too dark for him to see my signals, so he instructed me to “just hold your hand up so I can see what you’re calling.” Which he announced from the pitcher’s mound in the middle of an at-bat.

He was a character. He loved the game, he devoted so much of his time and energy to it.  Our league and our lives are less enriched without him.

Todd Boss,
Jim Beck teammate with the DCMSBL Vienna Braves 1998-2007

Jim Beck and I go back to my second game as an MSBL player almost 30 years ago. I had just finished a game at Fairfax High School and Jim was the first person to come over to meet me and introduce himself. Over the years, Jim was an opponent at times, my teammate, my patient and my friend.

A couple of seasons later it was Jim who asked me to go to Arizona with his Eagles team. That was a great experience for me. The following season Jim suggested I manage the team, which led to my starting the Virginia Senators, a team we took to Arizona for many years. One year in Arizona with the VA Senators, I was coaching third. When Jim hit a triple, as he got to third he slumped down on the bag. I went to see if he was alright and he asked me to untie his right spike. I did as he asked thinking he was hurt. When I asked him if he was alright he said yes, I just need more time to catch my breath. I thought to myself, well that’s Jim and I hope I don’t get thrown out for untying his shoe.

Many years later, when I proposed starting the 55 division to the league, Jim was against it at first, but after hearing my reasons he became it’s biggest supporter. I think we would not have had this division without his support. I had surgery in 2006 and was barred from playing for 5 years. Jim was in my office the next year and told me he was sure I would come back to play as soon as I was cleared. He reminded me of the reasons I had expressed to him years before about why we needed a 55 division.

He said, as only he could, “you have to come back”. After his passing, I knew he was right, and thanks to my former teammates and their encouragement, I did make it back in 2011.

I’m sure that there are a lot of us whose life has been made a little better because we knew Jim. The true measure of a man’s life is not how rich you are but how much your life enriched others.

I am proud to be part of “the friends of Jim Beck”.

Arnie
Arnold S Fariello DDS