Legendary former Air Force men’s basketball player Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Beckel has died, according to an announcement from the United States Air Force Academy. A Celebration of Life for Beckel is scheduled for December 4 at Hotel Polaris, located near the Academy grounds.
Beckel was recognized as a distinguished military leader and educator. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1959 and was part of the first group inducted into the Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. During his time as a student-athlete, Beckel achieved Helms Basketball All-American honors in 1959 and set the school record for career scoring average with 22.8 points per game.
He remains one of only two men’s basketball players to have served as Cadet Wing Commander at the Academy. Beckel also holds the top four single-game scoring performances in school history, with games of 58, 47, 46, and 40 points. He was named team MVP in 1959 and participated in that year’s East-West Shrine All-Star Game.
In addition to his athletic achievements, Beckel returned to the Academy as Commandant of Cadets in 1981 while holding the rank of brigadier general. Originally from Walla Walla, Washington, he flew 313 combat missions during the Vietnam War piloting an F-100 aircraft and later oversaw global operations for Strategic Air Command’s air refueling tanker force. Beckel also served as a Thunderbird pilot before retiring from active duty as a lieutenant general in 1992.
“His Celebration of Life will be held, Dec. 4, at Hotel Polaris next to the Academy grounds.”
