SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Former San Francisco Giants manager
Dusty Baker and current manager Bruce Bochy were among the
estimated 200 people who attended the funeral Thursday for former
major league pitcher Rod Beck.
Giants owner Peter Magowan and general manager Brian Sabean also
attended the services at a Scottsdale mortuary.
A three-time All-Star who saved 286 games, Beck was known for
his bushy mustache and gregarious personality. His family and
friends remembered him as an intimidating competitor who was a soft
touch away from the field -- and as a man who devoted time and money
to helping children with AIDS.
"At his core, he was determination," his wife, Stacey, said in
remarks during the service. "He never quit. That doesn't mean he
never failed. He just kept trying."
A portrait of Beck, his hair flapping as he fired a pitch in a
Giants uniform, was placed above the closed casket.
The Giants plan to honor Stacey and Rod Beck at their annual
"Until There's a Cure Day" event, scheduled for July 27 at AT&T
Park. The event raises funds for AIDS education and research.
"He stepped up and gave a face to those with AIDS," Stacey
said. "He hugged and kissed children others were afraid to touch.
He convinced others to do the same. He helped eradicate shame and
ignorance."
Beck was found dead in his northeast Phoenix home Saturday. He
was 38. He is survived by Stacey and their two daughters.
Police don't suspect foul play, and the medical examiner is
awaiting results of toxicology tests to establish a cause of death.
Nicknamed "Shooter" and well-known for his fondness of country
music, cowboy boots and cigarettes, Beck pitched for the Giants,
Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Red Sox before finishing his career
with the San Diego Padres in 2004.
Baseball people flocked to Beck's funeral on a blistering summer
day. Major league baseball was represented by Phoenix-based vice
president Laurel Prieb. Arizona Diamondbacks general partner Jeff
Moorad also attended.
Former teammates Trevor Hoffman and Matt Williams were among the
mourners.
Hoffman, who served as a pallbearer, said he hadn't spoken to
Beck in about a year. He remembered Beck as a "very simple man"
who enjoyed working on car engines and taking long rides into the
desert.
"It was hard to get through that exterior of what he looked
like, that menacing look, but it took about a minute and a half to
realize that's all it was," Hoffman said. "There was never really
a hidden agenda with Rodney. It was all kind of what you see is
what you get."
Bochy remembered Beck as being friendly and accommodating to
teammates, fans and the media. And he said the turnout at the
funeral, which was limited to friends and family, said a lot about
Beck.
"We all knew about the great pitching talent he had," Bochy
said. "It showed today what a great teammate he was."