Samuel H. Beer

[howardwhite 6]

It's with great sadness that I learned yesterday of the death of Samuel H. Beer, distinguished academic, Rhodes Scholar, expert on British politics, speechwriter to presidents -- and skydiver.

Sam Beer died April 7 in Washington, DC. He was 97.

He was about 50 when in July, 1961, he made his first jump at the Orange Sport Parachute Center. Nate Pond, D-69, wrote in his log book "Good but kicked."

He was at the time and for many years before and after that a professor of government at Harvard, and had been department chair from 1954-58. He had been a speech writer for Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a long-time supporter and adviser for many people in political life.

Shortly after his first jump, in a long letter to Jacques-André Istel, he wrote "Jumping -- in particular that delirious moment of exit-- concentrates consciousness in a blindingly bright, diamond-hard point. Mind has triumphed; this is the moment of pure reason.

"All of the other concerns of daily life -- your job, your sweetheart, your bank account, your social standing --fall away and are 'put in their place.' I can guarantee this: if you have any troubles -- and I mean any troubles -- you will totally forget them, at least for four seconds."

He went on to log a total of 199 jumps. On his second to last jump, he wrote in his logbook "Malfunction. Reserve deployed o.k. Broke r ankle."

He made one more jump nine months later -- in the winter -- and logged "Blue sky. Snow. With sun!"

I last saw Sam Beer in July, 2006. I went to his home in Cambridge, MA and did a video interview with him about the late Pat Gorham, who had instructed both of us in our student days.

He recalled then with special pleasure his performance in the 1964 Governor's Cup meet in Orange, where he came 20th (just ahead of Andy Keech) in an impressive field of contestants. After that meet, Istel wrote:

"If we may be allowed to look into our crystal ball, we predict that the man to watch next year will be Sam Beer, who defeated 70 per cent of the contestants in the meet with his 32 foot Hustler."

Sam also recalled with special pleasure parties at Pat Gorham's home in Nahant, MA, where skydivers jammed into the tiny house to eat fresh-caught lobster and drink beer.

He retired from Harvard in 1982 but continued teaching at Boston College. He was a specialist in British politics.

He once wrote about skydiving:

"But at times, and especially as the day for jumping approaches, you look up into the sky. It is no longer just flat and blue.

"You find yourself up there."

HW

[jdfreefly 1]

Great post.

Blue Skies Sam.

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[JerryBaumchen 1,436]

Good journeys, Sam Beer. It was nice to have you among us,

JerryBaumchen

[SBS 0]

Wow, what awesome quotes!

You must feel lucky to have known him.

Sounds like an amazing life.

-S

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