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Bescos, who was the oldest-living SCGA Past President and last remaining of the 1960s, was an icon at Virginia CC during his 63-year membership. Joining straight out of the United States Navy in 1946, where he was a naval officer on an aircraft carrier during World War II, Bescos served two terms of presidency at the club, in 1965-1966 and 1967-1968. He conceptualized The Virginia Invitational--now known as The Virginian, one of Southern California's prestigious invitational golf events--and in his six decades of playing the course, Bescos showcased his golf skills by eagling every hole on Virginia's William P. Bell and A.W. Tillinghast design. Virginia CC, located in Long Beach, is celebrating its centennial this year. "Straight out of the service and still in my uniform, I met a man named Cleve Clayton," Bescos, also a member of the Seniors Golf Association, remembered in a 2003 Virginia CC newsletter article. "He was a member of Virginia and he invited me to play golf as a guest in April of 1946. I was a little nervous at first because I hadn't touched a golf club since the beginning of the war [1941]. I fell in love right off the bat; I loved everything about the golf course." Bescos was a National Sales Manager for Star-Kist Co. after the war and was named President of the SCGA in 1962. Upon taking office there were just 35,000 members of the SCGA, and during his tenure, the SCGA purchased the Studio City property that would become home to Golf House West seven years later, the current home of the SCGA. It was also during this time that the SCGA began to research handicap vendors to provide current Handicap Index calculations, including Integrated Data Company, the SCGA's current vendor until the end of 2009 when it will change to the United States Golf Association's GHIN system. As a member of the SCGA Board of Directors, Bescos served on the Amateur Reinstatement Committee as well as the Team Play Committee and was passionate about golf competition. Bescos also served as president of the California Golf Association in 1961, the year that John Richardson won the California Amateur Championship (Richardson would go on to be the oldest winner, at age 52, of the SCGA Amateur in 1973, and also won the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in 1987). Bescos' stature in the golf world gained him invitations to play some of the most respected golf courses in America, such as Cypress Point and Augusta National Golf Club, on numerous occasions. In his personal scrapbook are letters and photos from famous people, including famous singer and actor Bing Crosby and television commentator Johnny Miller. In the 1935 release of the movie "Mutiny On the Bounty," Bescos had a role as one of the mutineers. Bescos was also a University of Southern California alum, and was one of 21 past athletes inducted into USC's Athletic Hall of Fame on May 9, honored for his unmatched accomplishments in USC sports history. A center, Bescos was captain of the 1934 USC football team and won two other letters in the sport, along with two in baseball and three in basketball. He also served as a Trojan assistant coach in football from 1937 to 1945, as well as in basketball and baseball. Bescos took over as head basketball coach in 1941-42 and he compiled a 12-8 record leading the team. Bescos is survived by his wife Faye and several family members. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, June 3 at 1:00 pm at Grace First Presbyterian Church, located at 3955 Studebaker Road in Long Beach. A Celebration of Life will be held after the service, at 3 p.m., at the Virginia CC 11th Hole Grove of Ash Trees. The Bescos family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Long Beach Cancer League. For more information regarding the memorial or celebration of life, contact Virginia CC at (562) 427-0924. | |||||||
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