Manny Beckmann, 2005 WHS Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee

Manny Beckmann came to Waseca High School in 1954 after legendary playing careers at Wells High School and Mankato State.

Manny Beckmann came to Waseca High School in 1954 after legendary playing careers at Wells High School and Mankato State. 

In high school at Wells, Manny earned 12 letters, three each in football, basketball, baseball and track.  He was all-state and 3rd team All-American in football his senior year.

In college at Mankato State, Manny earned 11 letters, four in football, four in basketball and three in track.  He would have earned four in track, also, but he did his student teaching during the spring of his senior year and did not participate in track that year.  He was all-conference in football and basketball and was the football MVP is junior season.

Manny spent 37 years coaching at Waseca High School.  He was head boys basketball coach for 34 years after spending his first three years as an assistant.  He was head track coach for 34 years and he spent about 15 years as B squad football coach and one year as cross country coach.

Manny's greatest coaching fame came in boys basketball where he won 487 games, 12 conference championships and 11 second place finishes.  That's 23 of 34 years his teams were either first or second.  Never did his teams finish in the second division of the conference in 34 years.  Manny's coaching record in South Central Conference games was 268 wins and just 86 losses, a winning percentage of 76 percent. 

Manny coached teams into the state tournament in 1974, 1975, 1987 and 1988.  In one stretch his teams had winning seasons for 20 years in a row.  He coached five all-state players and a number of his players went on to play college basketball.

In 1975 Manny was voted Minnesota Basketball Coach of the Year when the Bluejays were 27-1 on the year, entering the state basketball tournament with a perfect 25-0 mark. In 1969, the Bluejays were ranked number one in the state during the entire season back when all schools were in just one class.  The Bluejays were 21-0 before getting beat in the region tournament that year.

Manny's teams won a total of 487 games over 34 years and he was well known for scheduling the strongest opponents that were available.

Manny is a member of the Minnesota High School Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Mankato State University Hall of Fame.

Manny's family includes his wife, Pat, and three sons.  Scott and  Diane of Waseca and their children, Tim and Andrew, Todd and Darla, of Grantsburg, Wisconsin and Edward and Elizabeth of Richfield. 

Manny is retired now and he and his wife, Pat, reside in Waseca.