Bradford “Brad” Beckwith graduated from Roosevelt in 1968 where he was a great football and baseball player, and was a Lt. Governor of the Key Club, the 1967 Boy’s State Representive, Parliamentarian of the Sixes, and was in the “110 In the Shade” musical.

Brad then attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he made a name for himself in the classroom and on the baseball field. He became one of the first ever UMSL student-athletes to receive All-American recognition when he was selected for Honorable Mention in 1970. At that point, he was the first ever UMSL baseball player (second student-athlete for all sports) to achieve this honor. That same year he was a first-team All-Region selection and helped lead UMSL to the 1970 NAIA regional tournament, their first ever postseason appearance.

Over the next few years, Brad would continue to contribute to UMSL’s successes on the baseball field. In 1972, the program received its first ever bid to the NCAA Division II College World Series and placed 4^th in the tournament. The team ended the season with a national ranking of No. 8 in the polls. In 1973, UMSL would advance to the NCAA Division II College World Series for a second consecutive year and win their first ever game at the Championships. The team ended the season ranking 3^rd in the final national rankings. Fast forward to today, and Doc has four Hall of Fame accolades to his name. In 2005, he was inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame as an individual, while also being inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. In addition, he was a part of two team Hall of Fame inductions in 2010 and 2024 for the achievements with the 72’ and 73’ teams.

Brad would eventually graduate from UMSL in 1974 with a bachelor’s in science education. In the years following, he would continue to reach new heights with his education and in his professional career. In 1977, he graduated from SIUE with a master’s in science education, then graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1990 with a Doctorate in Sports Psychology.

In his professional career, he would go on to manage several fitness facilities along with being a personal trainer in Lake Tahoe (The Incline Courthouse), Phoenix (The Hilton Phantom Horse Spa), and St. Louis (Wellbridge Athletic Club—Town and Country) from 1990-2001. It was at this time that he decided to begin teaching in higher education. From 2002-2010 he was a professor at the University of Phoenix, and from 2014-2024 he was a Sports Psychology professor at Maryville University.

Outside of his professorial duties, Brad was heavily involved in the St. Louis sports scene. He applied his wealth of knowledge in sports psychology to run his own business called The Athlete’s Edge. With his help, numerous athletes and sports teams were able to overcome various mental and emotional issues that athletes can experience while playing their respective sports. He even worked with fellow Roosevelt graduate Celeste Knierim on multiple occasions to help her softball team at Meramec Community College while she was the head coach. He was a wide receivers and defensive backs coach for Parkway West Middle School football teams, a head coach for numerous Southwest Stars and Rawlings Tigers baseball teams, and a lead hitting coach at Balls-n-Strikes in Ballwin.

Bradford “Doc” Beckwith passed away on May 30^th, 2024, after a year and a half-long battle with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. His legacy is carried on by his wife Mary and his three kids, Megan, Zach, and Jake. All who were lucky enough to have met Doc knew him for his zest for life, his warm and welcoming nature, and his love for baseball. His life can be summarized in a quote from his idol, Jimmy Buffett: “Some of its magic, some of its tragic. But I had a good life all the way…”

Notable Accolades:

• NCAA All-American Team (Honorable Mention) – 1970
• NCAA First Team All-Region – 1970
• NCAA College Division Championship (4^th Place) – 1972
• NCAA College Division Championship (Participant) – 1973
• UMSL Sports Hall of Fame (Individual) – 2005
• UMSL Sports Hall of Fame (Team – 1972) – 2010
• Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame – 2012
• UMSL Sports Hall of Fame (Team – 1973) – 2024