Jack Beckner

Jack Beckner

Beckner (right) in 1956
Personal information
Born	June 9, 1930 Los Angeles, U.S.
Died	November 16, 2016 (aged 86) Los Angeles, U.S.
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	77 kg (170 lb)
Sport
Sport	Artistic gymnastics
Club	Los Angeles Turners USC Trojans, Los Angeles

John Gilbert "Jack" Beckner (June 9, 1930 – November 16, 2016) was an American artistic gymnast, coach and referee. He competed at the 1952, 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics with the best individual result of seventh place on the vault and horizontal bar in 1956. His elder brother Dick was also part of the 1956 Olympic gymnastics team.^[1]

Beckner won the individual AAU all-around title in 1956–59. At the 1955 and 1959 Pan American Games he collected 9 gold medals, which remains one of the best achievements for any American athlete.^[2][3]

Beckner was born to Lola and Andrew Vernon Beckner. He studied at Los Angeles City College and University of Southern California, graduating in 1953. In 1962 he earned a masters degree at University of Southern California and coached there from 1957 to 1981. He also prepared the national gymnastics team for the 1968 Summer Olympics and served as a national and international judge. He was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame (1976), National Gymnastics Judges Association Hall of Fame (1989), USC Hall of Fame (2005) and Los Angeles High Schools Sports Hall of Fame (2011). Beckner was married to Barbara Blaine, they had three children.^[3] He died in his sleep aged 86.^[2]

References

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