Career
He also earned two caps with the United States. national team that year. Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, Beckman joined the United States. Navy during World World War World War II He served as an electrician aboard the hospital ship United States Ship Comfort, and survived a 1945 kamikaze attack that killed 30 and wounded 48. After the war, he returned to Saint Louis where he worked for eighteen years until he was injured while fighting a fire.
In addition to working as a fire fighter, Beckman played soccer in the Saint Louis leagues.
In 1948, Beckman was playing for De Andries in the Saint Louis Major League when he was selected for the United States. soccer team which competed at the Summer Olympics. He played all 90 minutes in the 9–0 loss to Italy that eliminated the United States. from the tournament.
After the Olympics, the United States. played two full internationals, an 11–0 loss to Norway, followed by a 5–0 loss to Northern Ireland on August 11, 1948. In 1949, he began coaching high school soccer at John Burroughs School.
He was inducted into the Saint Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 1980.
He retired from JBS in 2000 after 51 years of coaching. A soccer tournament and stadium are named for Beckman, honoring his contributions to soccer in Saint Louis.
