John "Jack" Beckner, a three-time Olympian and a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, died Wednesday, Nov. 16. He was 86. A competitor and coach in four Olympic Games, Beckner has a special place in the sport’s history. He competed in three Olympic Games (1952, 1956, 1960), making it to the horizontal bar finals in 1956, where he finished seventh. He helped the U.S. team finish sixth in 1956 and fifth in 1960. He was the head coach for the 1968 U.S. Olympic team in Mexico City, Mexico. Beckner also won two NCAA gold medals while at the University of Southern California and went on to coach 16 NCAA Champions at his alma mater. He was the younger brother of Dick Beckner, a 1956 Olympian. He is survived by his wife Barbara, their three children, John, Michael and Maria, and 10 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Barbara has asked that any donation be sent in Jack’s name to:
Blind Children Center
4120 Marathon St.
Los Angeles, CA 90029