Jim Becker, Legendary Newsman Who Wrote About Farrington’s Title-winning Team, Dies At 98

STAR-ADVERTISER / 2006

Jim Becker, an author and a newsman who covered numerous monumental events in history, died today at age 98.

Jim Becker, an author and a newsman who covered numerous monumental events in history, died today in Hawaii, according to family and friends.

Becker chronicled many milestone events, such as Jackie Robinson’s first major league game in 1947, the hostage-takeover and killings of Israeli athletes during1972 Munich Olympics and his own frenetic odyssey of getting the first picture of the Dalai Lama in Calcutta in 1959.

But what Becker will be most remembered in Hawaii was his story titled, “The day the Govs won it all …” The article of Farrington beating Kamehameha 16-6 in 1965 was put on the front page of the Star-Bulletin.

Becker would say the editors ripped out all the news and put this story on the front page. The lead story of the days was “Two flee State Prison under a hail of bullets.” But Becker’s story would take up the entire middle of the front page.

Becker, who was a columnist for the Star-Bulletin at the time, was embraced by the Kalihi community after that. That winning football team would hold reunions and gatherings and Becker would always be invited.

“He always said that was the most important story he ever wrote,” said Carla Escoda Brooks, Becker’s goddaughter in a telephone interview from Connecticut today.

“And you think of all the things he covered in his life, wars, Jackie Robinson, and all of that. He said that piece was the most important one he ever wrote … because he thought it touched a lot of people and it made people realize there’s a broader thing to be celebrated in certain parts of Hawaii that maybe are less celebrated.”

Becker was in and out of hospital in the past months. He was hit by a vehicle in 2014, Later, he would lose much of eyesight, but not his sharp memory for detail and story-telling.

Born during the depression in 1926, he grew up in Los Angeles and seen Robinson in college at UCLA. Later as a writer for Associated Press he covered Robinson’s first game in which the star athlete broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

“I was 20 on Jackie’s first day,” Becker said.

He also covered the tragedy of the 1972 Olympics.

What he remembered most was that editors back in the U.S. made him rewrite the story of the killings because TV had said all the hostages were safe.

He said he could ear gun shots and he knows what gun fire sounded like.

Later, the TV accounts were wrong and all the hostages were dead.

Becker was a AP bureau chief in the Philippines, where he worked with the father of Escoda Brooks.

Becker and his late wife loved living in Hawaii, eventually settling in Honolulu for the past many decades.

Becker wrote a book titled, “Saints, Sinners and Shortstops,” in which he details all his travels and newsworthy events. Included in that book is an account about Farrington.

He remained steadfast till the end, a friend said. He even wanted to know about the political happenings, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to become U.S. health secretary.

Services are pending.

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