News / People
Rod Beck Death Linked to Cocaine Abuse
The death of former major league relief pitcher Rod Beck could be linked to cocaine abuse according to a police report released on Tuesday.
The report indicated that cocaine and drug paraphernalia was discovered at Beck’s Phoenix home on June 23, the day he was found dead.
A loaded semiautomatic handgun was also found at the residence belonging to the 38-year-old. The report indicated that “four small canisters contained a white powdery residue of suspected cocaine. The larger canister contained a dried paste, commonly used to produce rock cocaine.”
Beck’s wife, Stacey, released a statement saying “While we were all deeply saddened by the death of Rodney, he suffered from a debilitating, degenerative brain disease called addiction. The last three years we have seen this disease progress and destroy the person we knew. Unfortunately the details of his death are not pretty or palatable, but those details are merely symptoms of this devastating brain disease. ... Rodney overcame other illnesses and injuries but sadly this brain disease got the best of him.”
Rod Beck debuted with the San Francisco Giants in 1991 and played through 2004 with a total of four teams. He collected 286 saves, 23rd most in major league history. He was named the National League’s Relief Man of the Year in 1994 and was named to three All-Star games.
