 Beck from the 1958Kentuckian | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1936-06-28)June 28, 1936 |
| Died | October 16, 2019(2019-10-16) (aged 83) Sun City, Arizona, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 188 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Fort Valley (Fort Valley, Georgia) |
| College | Kentucky (1955–1958) |
| NBA draft | 1958:undrafted |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 34 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Edward Paul Beck (June 28, 1936 – October 16, 2019) was an Americancollege basketball player. He is best known as the startingcenter and team captain of the "Fiddlin' Five," theUniversity of Kentucky's1958 NCAA championship team.
Beck was recruited to play atKentucky after scoring 1,549 points and leading his team to win two state titles atFort Valley High School.[1] Beck was named team captain by head coachAdolph Rupp going into his senior season after scoring 259 points and grabbing 380 rebounds as a junior. As a senior, Beck scored 163 points and had 337 rebounds in 29 games and was namedSoutheastern Conference (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year.[2] Beck finished his college career with 459 points scored (5.6 per game) and 783 rebounds (10.0 per game) in 78 total games.[3]
After his collegiate career ended Beck opted not to play professionally, turning down a contract from theNew York Knicks. He decided to pursue a career in ministry and became an ordained Methodist minister after graduating from theCandler School of Theology atEmory University.[4] He died on October 16, 2019, in Sun City, Arizona, at the age of 83.[5][6]