Pacific Lutheran basketball legend Van Beek ‘bled black and gold.’ His memorial is Monday
Chad Murray sat in an office at Pacific Lutheran University and answered questions. What was he all about? What was his vision for the PLU men’s basketball program? What was his coaching philosophy and style?
No, this wasn’t an interview. Murray had already been hired for the job in 2017. The office where he sat answering questions was his own. Murray knew a little about the background of Jim Van Beek, the man sitting on the other side of the desk with his wife, Ingrid.
Van Beek was a legend at Pacific Lutheran College during the glory days of the school’s men’s basketball program. During his career in the late 1950s, the Lutes won 37 straight games against Evergreen Conference rivals and advanced to the 1959 NAIA national championship game against Tennessee State, alongside teammates Chuck Curtis and Roger Iverson, who became lifelong friends.
Van Beek died in April, a few years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A memorial in his honor will be held Monday at PLU.
He was a three-time All-EvCo pick and a 1959 NAIA all-tournament selection. In the 1959 national championship game against Tennessee State, he led the Lutes with a team-high 24 points. He averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game as a senior and finished his career with 1,207 points.
So no, it wasn’t an interview, but you better believe Murray took it just as seriously.
“He has such a history with the school,” Murray said. “He’s asking what your vision is. You want to have some good answers.”
Jim Van Beek, born Merrill James Van Beek on Sept. 4, 1937 in Linton, North Dakota, grew up in Parkland, Wash. He was in the first graduating class at Franklin Pierce High School, where he still holds the school record for points in a game (42).
Gene Lundgaard, who coached Van Beek’s teams in the late 50’s, also died this year, in February. He was 92. Lundgaard both played and coached at PLU. As a player, he led the Lutes to four straight winning seasons earning All-Conference honors twice. He graduated from PLU in 1951 and following four years of service in the Air Force, worked in the Franklin Pierce School District for two years before returning to PLU as the school’s head basketball coach in 1958. He coached until 1973, retiring with a a career record of 280-174. His teams claimed ten conference titles and eleven playoff appearances, and took part in four national tournaments. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1992.
After his illustrious college basketball career, Van Beek returned to Pacific Lutheran, where he was hired as the school’s admissions counselor in 1963. He was eventually named the dean of admissions and financial aid, serving in that capacity for 13 years. He then moved to the Office of Development (now Advancement), where his positions included serving as the university’s director of endowed scholarships. He worked at the school for 50 years, passionate about all things PLU.
“Thousands of students were accepted under his watch,” said longtime colleague Lauralee Hagen, who works for the university as a Senior Gift Planner. “He was passionate about PLU in every way, attending every sporting event, every event. … He bled black and gold.”
Just ask former PLU athletic director Dave Olson, who worked at the school from 1968 to 1996.
“He came with me many times for fundraising events for PLU,” Olson said. “He was a great ambassador for PLU. I think he was an authentic friend, he spoke and did what a friend should do. We had so many good times together. He was reliable, trustworthy, loyal, all those qualities. He made friendship come alive.”
He was a fierce competitor, too, even after his college days. There were stories told about Van Beek playing basketball against current students as a member of the faculty intramural team. Make no mistake, he wanted to win.
“He had a reputation for being extraordinarily competitive with really sharp elbows,” Hagen said, laughing. “Kids would say, ‘Isn’t he an administrator? Gosh, that guy is ruthless.’”
Olson and Van Beek competed in a decathlon (a 10-event contest) over the years in Tacoma.
“Nobody could hardly ever beat Jim in anything,” Olson said. “The only event I ever won was a canoe race. He was just an all-around good athlete. He was a very competitive person. He liked to win. But he understood the value of the game and the goodness that can come from athletics. I always admire him for that.”
Van Beek was also an avid golfer and longtime member of the Fircrest Golf Club. He was inducted into the PLU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Before Van Beek’s death, Murray had his team look into the late 1950s teams that Van Beek was a part of.
“It was the most successful four years of PLU basketball in the history of the school.” he said. “I told (the players), ‘wouldn’t it be cool if (nearly) 70 years from now, somebody was talking about us?’ … They knew what I was trying to do, trying to inspire some program pride. I don’t think you can feel that unless you learn what this place is all about.”
Murray and several players from the 2021-22 team will be in attendance at Van Beek’s memorial service on Monday morning, greeting guests and handing out programs. The memorial will be open to the public, held on campus on Monday, June 6th at 11 a.m. in Lagerquist Concert Hall in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center. There will also be a live stream for those unable to attend in person. You can link to the live stream here: https://youtu.be/fCLDgvmLbA4.
This story was originally published June 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
