Lewis H. Bardo Gymnasium | Official Website
Lewis H. Bardo Gymnasium | Official Website
The University of Pennsylvania's Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics has announced the passing of Ernie Beck, a prominent figure in the men's basketball program. Beck passed away at the age of 93.
Beck, who was considered one of the greatest players in Philadelphia's collegiate history, was inducted into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996. Steve Donahue, Penn's John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men's Basketball, expressed his admiration for Beck, stating, "In my opinion, Ernie Beck was the greatest Quaker of them all."
During his college career from 1951 to 1953, Beck set several records that remained unbroken for decades. He held the scoring record with 1,827 points for 67 years until it was surpassed by AJ Brodeur in 2020. His other notable achievements include holding records for points scored in a season and highest-scoring games.
Beck also excelled in rebounding and free throws during his time with Penn. His senior season saw him lead the team to an Eastern Intercollegiate League title and their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
After college, Beck joined the Philadelphia Warriors as a territorial pick in the 1953 NBA Draft and contributed to their NBA championship victory in 1956 over six seasons with the team.
Ernie Beck is survived by his wife Betty; children Ernie III and John; and grandchildren Jessica and Jonathan.
For more updates on Penn men's basketball activities, follow @PennMBB on X (formerly Twitter) or visit PennAthletics.com.
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