Former Chicago Cubs infielder Glenn Beckert passed away Sunday morning at the age of 79, the team has announced.
Beckert, who played for nine seasons with the Cubs from 1965 to 1973, was named to the National League All-Star team on four occasions while playing for the North Siders, and won a Gold Glove at second base in 1968.
“We offer our deepest condolences to Glenn’s daughters, Tracy Seaman and Dana Starck, his longtime partner Marybruce Standley and his many, many friends,” the Cubs said in a statement.
In nine seasons with the Cubs, Beckert appeared in 1,247 games, batting .283 with 22 home runs and 353 RBI’s. Arguably his best season came in 1968, as he finished in the top 10 in National League MVP voting and won his first career Gold Glove. He batted .294 and scored a league-leading 98 runs for the Cubs that year.
Beckert was also part of the infamous 1969 Cubs squad that blew a late-season lead in their division to fall short of the franchise’s first playoff appearance in a quarter-century.
Long-time teammate Fergie Jenkins paid tribute to Beckert on social media, calling him a “great one” and saying he’ll be “dearly missed:”
Former Cubs manager Joe Maddon also paid tribute to Beckert, calling him a "gentleman and a friend:"
Beckert finished his career with the San Diego Padres in 1975 after spending two seasons on the West Coast.
