Dave Beard – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dave Beard wrapped up his nine-year Major League Baseball run in 1989, closing the book on a journey that took him from a hopeful prospect to a veteran pitcher who really saw it all. The righty—full name Charles David Beard—earned his spot in baseball history by sticking with it, adapting, and bouncing around between teams and roles.

He pitched for four MLB teams between 1980 and 1989, finishing with a 19-20 record and a 4.70 ERA. Most of the time, he worked out of the bullpen for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers. Beard kept fighting through injuries and setbacks, spending plenty of time in the minors before clawing his way back to the majors more than once.

From his early days as a sixth-round pick out of Georgia to his last outing with Detroit, Beard’s story really highlights the grind that so many pro athletes face trying to hang onto a job at the top level. He moved through the farm systems of several organizations, made the playoffs with Oakland, and later even tried his hand as a starter. That kind of persistence? It takes serious dedication to last nearly a decade in MLB.

Early Life and Background

Charles David Beard was born October 2, 1959, in Atlanta, Georgia. He went to Sequoyah High School in Doraville, where he honed his baseball skills before jumping into pro ball through the draft.

Birthplace and Childhood

Dave Beard came into the world in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 2, 1959. Growing up in the Atlanta area during the ’60s and ’70s, he soaked up the city’s strong baseball culture.

Atlanta became home to the Atlanta Braves after their move from Milwaukee in 1966. That gave Beard the chance to watch big-league baseball up close as a kid.

The city’s warm weather made it easy to play ball all year. Local youth leagues also helped nurture his love for the game.

His childhood lined up with an exciting stretch for Atlanta baseball. The Braves were working to become a real force in the National League.

Education and High School Baseball

Beard went to Sequoyah High School in Doraville, a suburb northeast of Atlanta. The school gave him a stage to show off his growing pitching talent.

During high school, Beard’s size really stood out. He eventually grew to 6’5″ and 215 pounds, which definitely helped him on the mound.

Pro scouts started to take notice of Beard’s mix of size and pitching ability. He quickly became a hot prospect for MLB teams.

Georgia high school baseball was tough and well-scouted in the mid-1970s. That competition helped get Beard ready for the next level.

Pathway to Professional Baseball

The Oakland Athletics picked Beard in the sixth round of the 1977 amateur draft, right after he finished high school.

Oakland clearly saw something in him, grabbing him in the sixth round and betting on his future as a pro pitcher.

After the draft, Beard jumped into the minor leagues to start his pro career. He put together two solid seasons in the A’s farm system.

Those early minor league years mattered a lot for his development. He worked on his mechanics and got used to facing better hitters before making his MLB debut in 1980.

MLB Debut and Early Oakland Athletics Years

Dave Beard’s road to the majors started when the Oakland Athletics drafted him in 1977. He broke into MLB on July 16, 1980, at just 20 years old, and spent his first four seasons carving out a role in Oakland’s bullpen.

Draft and Minor League Progression

Oakland grabbed Charles David Beard as the 147th overall pick in the 1977 draft. Beard had pitched at Sequoyah High in Doraville, where his arm caught scouts’ attention.

After signing, Beard moved through the A’s minor league system from 1977 to 1980. They developed him as a reliever, focusing on his ability to handle different bullpen situations.

He performed well enough in the minors to get the call to the majors at 20. The A’s saw enough promise to put him in their bullpen right away.

Major League Baseball Debut

Beard debuted in the big leagues on July 16, 1980, with the Oakland Athletics. At just 20, he was one of the youngest players in the league.

He pitched in 13 games as a reliever during his rookie year, posting a 3.38 ERA over 16 innings. He showed solid control and got the job done.

That year, Beard notched his first big-league save. His performance gave fans and coaches hope for the future.

Initial Seasons with Oakland Athletics

The 1981 season was cut short by the players’ strike, so Beard pitched in just 8 games. Even so, he improved his ERA to 2.77 and picked up 3 saves, showing he was becoming a steady bullpen arm.

In 1982, Beard really broke through with Oakland. He pitched in 54 games and finished with a 10-9 record and a 3.44 ERA. Those 11 saves cemented his spot as a key reliever.

1983 wasn’t as kind. His ERA climbed to 5.61 over 43 outings, but he still managed 10 saves. After that rough year, Oakland moved on.

In his four seasons with the A’s from 1980 to 1983, Beard put together a 16-16 record, 25 saves, and a 4.11 ERA in 118 games.

Career Highlights and Team Contributions

Dave Beard’s big-league journey took him to three other teams after his Oakland run, showing off his flexibility as a righty reliever. His time in Seattle was tough, but it gave him experience. Short stints with Chicago and Detroit closed out his MLB career.

Performance with Seattle Mariners

Beard joined the Seattle Mariners in 1984. That year turned out to be one of the hardest of his career.

He pitched in 43 games, all out of the bullpen, finishing with a 3-2 record and a 5.80 ERA over 76 innings.

The numbers tell the story: Beard gave up 88 hits and 15 home runs, which really pushed up his ERA. He walked 33 and struck out 40—a strikeout-to-walk ratio of just 1.21.

Even with the struggles, Beard still saved 5 games for Seattle. He finished 27 games, so the team kept trusting him in late innings. Still, it was a far cry from his more successful A’s years.

Chicago Cubs Tenure

Beard’s time with the Chicago Cubs in 1985 was pretty short. He pitched in only 9 games, logging 12.2 innings with a 6.39 ERA.

The Cubs used him strictly as a reliever. He finished 5 games but didn’t pick up any saves. Beard gave up 16 hits and 2 homers, walked 7, and struck out just 4.

It seemed like the Cubs were just seeing if he could help their bullpen, but his National League stint didn’t last. He wouldn’t pitch in the majors again until 1989.

Detroit Tigers Closing Years

Beard’s last MLB appearance came with the Detroit Tigers in 1989. At 29, he pitched just twice, including one start, totaling 5.1 innings with a 5.06 ERA.

Detroit let him start a game—his first start since 1982 with Oakland. He allowed 9 hits, 2 homers, walked 2, and struck out only 1.

This quick stint with the Tigers closed out Beard’s pro career. His final MLB numbers for 1989: 0 wins, 2 losses, and a career that stretched from 1980 to 1989 with four teams.

Pitching Style and Notable Achievements

Dave Beard made his mark as a steady right-handed reliever over nine years in the majors. His best years came with the Oakland Athletics, where he racked up 25 saves and posted his top stats.

Right-Handed Pitcher Profile

Beard threw right-handed and mostly worked out of the bullpen. He appeared in 172 MLB games, starting just 3, so he was definitely a relief specialist.

He managed to strike out 185 batters in 275.2 innings. His best strikeout stretch came in 1981 with Oakland, when he fanned 15 in just 13 innings and posted a 2.77 ERA.

Beard’s control came and went over the years. He averaged 4 walks per nine innings, which points to some command issues. Early on, though, he kept the ball in the park—he didn’t allow a single home run in 16 innings in 1980.

Notable Games and Statistics

Beard’s top years came with the Oakland Athletics from 1980-1983. His best season was 1982: a 10-9 record, 11 saves, and a 3.44 ERA in 54 games.

Here’s how his numbers stack up by team:

• Oakland Athletics: 4.11 ERA, 25 saves, 140 strikeouts
• Seattle Mariners: 5.80 ERA, 5 saves, 40 strikeouts
• Chicago Cubs: 6.39 ERA, 0 saves, 4 strikeouts
• Detroit Tigers: 5.06 ERA, 0 saves, 1 strikeout

His lowest ERA came in 1981 with Oakland at 2.77. Beard racked up 30 career saves, most of them with the A’s.

Impact on Teams

Beard played a big part in the Oakland bullpen in the early ’80s. He made 118 appearances in four seasons, so he was a regular piece of their relief staff.

His move to the Seattle Mariners in 1984 saw his numbers slip. He struggled with a 5.80 ERA and gave up 15 home runs in 76 innings, his highest total for a season.

Short spells with the Chicago Cubs in 1985 and Detroit Tigers in 1989 didn’t bring much success. He pitched just 12.2 innings for Chicago and 5.1 for Detroit.

Beard’s career really shows how tough it is for relievers to stay sharp when bouncing between teams. He had some strong years with Oakland, but adjusting to new roles and organizations wasn’t easy.

Minor League Career and Progression

Dave Beard spent almost a decade grinding through different minor league systems before sticking in the majors. The righty worked his way through several organizations from 1977 to 1989, proving just how much persistence it takes to keep a baseball career alive.

Minor League Affiliations

Beard started his pro journey with the Oakland Athletics after they picked him in the sixth round of the 1977 draft. His minor league career kicked off with the Medicine Hat A’s in the Pioneer League when he was just 17.

The A’s system gave Beard his main shot at development through 1983. He moved up the ladder, pitching for teams like Modesto, Waterbury, Ogden, and Tacoma.

After leaving Oakland, Beard bounced around the minors with several other clubs. He played for the Salt Lake City Gulls under the Mariners in 1984. Later, he joined the Iowa Cubs and Maine Guides in 1985.

He wrapped up his minor league days with the Richmond Braves in 1986 and Detroit’s Toledo Mud Hens from 1987-1989. All told, Beard played 239 games in the minors and finished with a 65-65 record.

Development Years

Beard started showing real promise in 1978 with Modesto. That year, he put up a 12-6 record and a 2.92 ERA over 25 starts.

He finished 11 games and threw five shutouts, which really showed off the kind of durability coaches want from a starter.

His 1979 season with Waterbury turned out to be tough, even though he pitched pretty well overall. Beard finished 10-14 with a 3.02 ERA in 24 starts.

He managed to complete 20 games that year, proving he could go the distance more than most.

In 1980, things got rocky at Ogden, where Beard struggled through a 6.40 ERA. The Athletics called him up to the majors for the first time during this stretch, maybe because they wanted to see what he could do at the next level, even though he was having a rough time in the minors.

By 1981, Beard started to show off his versatility in Tacoma. He bounced between starting and relief, making 12 starts and coming out of the bullpen 27 times.

That season, he picked up 10 saves, which highlighted how easily he could shift roles on the mound.

Transition to Major Leagues

In 1980, Beard got his first shot in the majors while he was still working things out at Triple-A Ogden. The Athletics brought him up for 13 games, mostly as a reliever.

He earned his first big league save and finished with a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings.

Over the next few years, Beard kept moving between Triple-A and Oakland. He came back to the majors in 1981, pitching in eight games and notching three saves.

This back-and-forth pattern stuck around as he kept sharpening his game in the minors.

Beard made his biggest impact with Oakland in 1982. That year, he pitched in 54 games and locked down 11 saves.

He became a steady bullpen arm, and his 3.44 ERA that season was probably the best stretch he had in the big leagues.

After a tough 1983 with Oakland, Beard bounced between minor league contracts and short stints in the majors. He wrapped up his minor league career with Toledo from 1987 to 1989, then made his last big league appearances with Detroit in 1989.

Retirement and Legacy in Baseball

Dave Beard wrapped up his Major League Baseball career in 1989, finishing nearly a decade as a relief pitcher. His journey took him through four different organizations, and while his mark on the game was modest, it’s still memorable.

Retirement in 1989

Beard’s last season in the majors came in 1989 with the Detroit Tigers. After nine years, he decided it was time to hang up his cleats.

From 1980 to 1989, he put together a record of 19 wins and 20 losses in 172 games.

At 30, Beard had seen the ups and downs of pro baseball, and his decision to retire felt like a natural next step.

That 1989 season was the last time he pitched in the majors. He’d started this whole ride at just 20 years old with Oakland.

Post-Career Activities

Not much information is out there about Dave Beard’s life after baseball. A lot of players from his era went into coaching, business, or stayed involved with the game in some way.

Beard probably eased into life away from the spotlight, like plenty of guys did back then. The late ’80s and early ’90s didn’t give retired players the kind of public platforms we see today.

His post-baseball years seem to have stayed pretty private. That wasn’t unusual for relief pitchers of his generation, many of whom just headed back to their hometowns.

With so little public info, it’s likely Beard preferred a quiet life, away from baseball’s bright lights.

Overall Impact and Recognition

Dave Beard made his mark in Major League Baseball while playing for four different teams. The highlight of his career came in 1981, when he saved the deciding game of the AL Western Division playoff against the Kansas City Royals.

He had just 21 innings of big-league experience at that point. Still, Beard stepped up in a huge moment and showed he could handle the pressure as a young reliever.

Career Statistics:

• Games Played: 172
• Win-Loss Record: 19-20
• Teams: Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers
• Save Leader: Oakland Athletics (1982, 1983)

Beard led the Oakland Athletics in saves for two straight years. He put up 11 saves in 1982 and 10 more in 1983, so he really established himself as a reliable closer.

He threw a fastball that topped 95 mph, which definitely made him a valuable bullpen arm. That fastball, along with his sinker and slider, gave him the tools to compete with the best in pro baseball.