Mark Beech

Mark Beech

Staff writer Mark Beech, who has written extensively on college football, horse racing and NASCAR, among other subjects, cites his 2007 profile of Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler Henry Cejudo as his most memorable SI assignment. "I was at a NASCAR race in Charlotte on a Sunday afternoon and got a call from an editor asking me if I could fly straight to Colorado Springs to start work on a story about Cejudo for the next week's issue," says Beech. "I knew nothing about him at all but spent the next six days learning everything I could mostly through interviews, since there was no real record of him in the press at the time. The story was much bigger and more deeply affecting than I could have ever imagined, and I thought it came off very well considering the amount of time I had to write and report." During his tenure at SI Beech has also written on the NHL, soccer and college basketball. He writes a weekly auto racing column (Racing Fan) for SI.com, and also provides coverage of major horse racing stakes for the website. He says college football is his favorite sport to cover "for all the tradition and regional passions." Beech has been with Sports Illustrated since 1997. Before joining SI he spent five years in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of captain, and serving primarily with the 84th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Heavy) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Beech received a B.S. in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1991 and an M.S. in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1997. He and his wife, Allison Keane, have an infant son, Nathaniel, and reside in Westchester County, NY.

Reflecting on Brett Favre's First Victory with the Green Bay Packers
NFL

Reflecting on Brett Favre's First Victory with the Green Bay Packers

In an excerpt from his book, THE PEOPLE’S TEAM: An Illustrated History of the Green Bay Packers, Mark Beech details Brett Favre's debut game on Sept. 20, 1992, when Favre entered in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals and led the Packers to a

Mark Beech
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Performance Innovation: Watch every step (and sip)
More Sports

Performance Innovation: Watch every step (and sip)

In the interest of maximizing performance and preventing injury, teams are looking for new and better ways to monitor athletes in training. Gatorade helps them get there.

Mark Beech
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The Power of Sleep: J.J. Watt knows how to turn it on and turn it off
NFL

The Power of Sleep: J.J. Watt knows how to turn it on and turn it off

How J.J. Watt takes his commitment to sleep to extreme levels during NFL training camp.

Mark Beech
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The case for American Pharoah for SI's 2015 Sportsman of the Year
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Sportsperson

The case for American Pharoah for SI's 2015 Sportsman of the Year

Mark Beech makes his argument for American Pharoah for Sports Illustrated's 2015 Sportsman of the Year.

Mark Beech
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Catching up with the dogs of Sochi
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More Sports

Catching up with the dogs of Sochi

Sochi’s domesticated strays became famous when the sporting world descended on the 2014 Winter Games. Where are they now?

Mark Beech
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American Pharoah buries decades of Triple Crown failure with Belmont win
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Horse Racing

American Pharoah buries decades of Triple Crown failure with Belmont win

American Pharoah won the 2015 Belmont Stakes, becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

Mark Beech
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American Pharoah wins Preakness, faces tough Belmont for Triple Crown
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Horse Racing

American Pharoah wins Preakness, faces tough Belmont for Triple Crown

American Pharoah and jockey Victor Espinoza won the 140th running of the Preakness Stakes in a commanding performance Saturday.

Mark Beech
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Blackhawks withstand late Wild surge in Game 4, complete series sweep
NHL

Blackhawks withstand late Wild surge in Game 4, complete series sweep

The Blackhawks are on to the Western Conference finals. Chicago withstood a furious comeback by the Wild at the end of Thursday's Game 4, holding on for a 4–3 win and a sweep of the series.

Mark Beech
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American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby win proves his 'best horse' billing
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Horse Racing

American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby win proves his 'best horse' billing

Mark Beech
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Late burst propels Predators past Blackhawks in Game 2 to even series
NHL

Late burst propels Predators past Blackhawks in Game 2 to even series

Mark Beech
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Army football working to establish winning culture, but at what cost?
College

Army football working to establish winning culture, but at what cost?

Mark Beech
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Top Line: Rafalski a Hall of Famer; violence in girls' hockey; more news
NHL

Top Line: Rafalski a Hall of Famer; violence in girls' hockey; more news

Mark Beech
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