Fred Beck

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameFrederick "Fred"•Beck
Used nameFred•Beck
Born27 January 1883 in St Luke's, England (GBR)
Died26 February 1972 in Barnet, England (GBR)
AffiliationsGerman Gymnastic Society, London (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 1

Biography

Fred Beck was born in St. Luke’s, London, the son of German parents. As a member of the London Amateur Wrestling Society and Hammersmith Amateur Wrestling Club, Beck won back-to-back amateur championships in the freestyle (catch-as-catch-can) heavyweight class in 1905 and 1906.

By then a member of the German Gymnastic Society, Beck was chosen to represent his country at the 1908 Olympics in London, where he competed in the middleweight class of both the freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling events. Though he lost in the second round to Sweden’s Mauritz Andersson in the latter event, Beck won the bronze by default in the freestyle in a walkover when Carl Andersson refused to stand for the bronze medal match after an unsuccessful protest against his defeat in the semi-final to George de Relwyskow.

Beck was a pawnbroker by profession, residing in the Greater London area for most of his life. He lived to the age of 89, dying in 1972.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1908 Summer Olympics Wrestling GBR Fred Beck
Middleweight, Greco-Roman, Men (Olympic) =9
Middleweight, Freestyle, Men (Olympic) 3 Bronze

Errata

Date and place of birth previously given as 5 March 1873 in Islington; this is incorrect as per further research using information on his entry form.