Gary Beck thinks the world of Harold Reynolds. And according to the Corvallis High (Ore.) coach, so does everyone else who knows the former major leaguer of 12 years.

"I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about him," says Beck, 47, who coached Reynolds at Corvallis High from 1976-79 and still keeps in contact with the Reynolds family. "That's what's appealing about him. He never acted like a superstar. He was friendly with everyone."

Reynolds, now a baseball analyst with ESPN's "Baseball Tonight," was a superstar during his teenage days. By his senior season in '79, Reynolds' batting average was well above .500 while leading Corvallis to the state finals, where it lost a 3-2 extra-inning affair.

While Harold may have made a name for himself at Corvallis, the Reynolds name was already well established. His older brothers, Donnie and Larry, enjoyed baseball success as well. Donnie spent time with the San Diego Padres' organization while Larry played on St. Louis' AAA team.

"[Harold] was just a baseball junkie," says Beck, who no longer coaches the baseball team at Corvallis but does oversee the football team. "He was always out there taking batting practice. It didn't matter if it was during lunchtime or the weekend. His brothers helped him, too. They always let him tag along."

That tagging along certainly helped. After high school, Reynolds moved on to San Diego State University and Canada College (Calif.). The Seattle Mariners made Reynolds a first-round draft choice in 1980, and the second baseman embarked on a 12-year big league baseball odyssey that started in 1983.

Reynolds spent 10 seasons in Seattle. During that time, he collected 1,233 hits, 230 doubles, 53 triples, 353 RBI and stole 250 bases. In 1987, he led the league with 60 steals, and in 1988, his 11 triples were tops in the majors. In 1991, Reynolds was honored by Major League Baseball with the Roberto Clemente "Man of the Year" Award. A two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner (1988-90) at second base, Reynolds completed his career with Baltimore ('93) and California ('94).

Taking his baseball knowledge to television in 1996, Reynolds, who often hosts dinners for homeless people, is now the color commentator for "Baseball Tonight." According to Beck, there's a good reason why people enjoy watching Harold.

"What he's got going for him is his likeability," says Beck. "I think he has a working knowledge of the game and players respect that."