Kash Beauchamp
Encyclopedia
James Kash Beauchamp is the son of Jim Beauchamp
, and a former minor league baseball
outfielder and manager. Beauchamp originally attended Grove High School
in Oklahoma
and then Bacone College
. He was drafted first overall by the Toronto Blue Jays
in the 1982 January amateur draft
, ahead of names such as Kirby Puckett
and John Cangelosi
.
Beauchamp played 12 seasons in the minors, seeing moderate success but never reaching the Majors, although he did get as high as Triple-A. He displayed good speed at the beginning of his professional career, stealing as many as 25 bases in a season, although as his career went on he stole less and less each year.
In 1984, he was the MVP of the Carolina League
All-Star Game, going 5-for-6 with a home run, two triples and five RBI. He was voted Best Defensive Outfielder and Outfielder With the Best Arm that year by Baseball America
.
Interestingly, Beauchamp was the first player to be signed to a professional (major league affiliated) contract out of the independent leagues when, after hitting .367 with the Rochester Aces of the Northern League in 1993, he was signed by the Cincinnati Reds
.
He ended his playing career in 1995, and afterward he began managing and coaching various teams in different independent leagues. From 1995 to 1997, he was a hitting coach in the Montreal Expos
farm system. From 1998 to 2000, he managed the New Jersey Jackals
of the Northeast League. He managed the Lincoln Saltdogs
in 2001 and then the Adirondack Lumberjacks
for the next three seasons. He didn't manage in 2005, instead serving as the scouting director for the Golden Baseball League
. During his time with the Golden League he was picked up as hitting coach for the Samurai Bears. He also had a role in the movie Season of the Samurai. He managed the Pensacola Pelicans
of the American Association
in 2006. In 2007, he served as Vice President/Director of Baseball Operations for the South Coast League
. He also served as manager of the league's Anderson Joes
franchise for the final 37 games of the 2007 season. Beauchamp left both positions in November 2007 to become manager of the Wichita Wingnuts
of the American Association.
On July 9, 2008, Beauchamp had a major tirade, taking off his shoe and trying to make the umpire smell his shoe along with his armpit; he received a four-game suspension for his actions. His extreme emotional blowup, arguing the controversial call on behalf of his players, received national attention via major television networks and has become something of an internet sensation. At the end of the 2008 season, the Wingnuts decided not to retain Beauchamp as their manager.
Beauchamp is now a private instructor and coaches academy teams for Perfect Practice Athletic Center in Tulsa, OK.
Jim Beauchamp
James Edward Beauchamp was a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who played from to for the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Colt .45s/Astros, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Mets. He attended Grove High School in Grove, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University...
, and a former minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
outfielder and manager. Beauchamp originally attended Grove High School
Grove High School
Grove High School is the former name of The Grove School in the city of Redlands, California, United States.Grove High School is also a high school in the town of Grove, Oklahoma, United States....
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and then Bacone College
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...
. He was drafted first overall by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the 1982 January amateur draft
1982 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1982 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*Barry Bonds was drafted by the Giants in the 2nd round of the 1982 amateur draft, but did not sign...
, ahead of names such as Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
and John Cangelosi
John Cangelosi
John Anthony Cangelosi , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1985–1990, 1992, and 1994-1999. He graduated from Miami Springs High School in Miami Springs, Florida...
.
Beauchamp played 12 seasons in the minors, seeing moderate success but never reaching the Majors, although he did get as high as Triple-A. He displayed good speed at the beginning of his professional career, stealing as many as 25 bases in a season, although as his career went on he stole less and less each year.
In 1984, he was the MVP of the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
All-Star Game, going 5-for-6 with a home run, two triples and five RBI. He was voted Best Defensive Outfielder and Outfielder With the Best Arm that year by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
.
Interestingly, Beauchamp was the first player to be signed to a professional (major league affiliated) contract out of the independent leagues when, after hitting .367 with the Rochester Aces of the Northern League in 1993, he was signed by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
He ended his playing career in 1995, and afterward he began managing and coaching various teams in different independent leagues. From 1995 to 1997, he was a hitting coach in the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
farm system. From 1998 to 2000, he managed the New Jersey Jackals
New Jersey Jackals
The New Jersey Jackals are a professional baseball team based in Little Falls, New Jersey, in the United States. The Jackals are a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Northeast League. He managed the Lincoln Saltdogs
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
in 2001 and then the Adirondack Lumberjacks
Adirondack Lumberjacks
The Adirondack Lumberjacks were an independent professional baseball team based in Glens Falls, New York. The team moved to Bangor, Maine and became the Bangor Lumberjacks following the 2002 season...
for the next three seasons. He didn't manage in 2005, instead serving as the scouting director for the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
. During his time with the Golden League he was picked up as hitting coach for the Samurai Bears. He also had a role in the movie Season of the Samurai. He managed the Pensacola Pelicans
Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues from 2002–2010...
of the American Association
American Association (21st century)
The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional baseball league founded in 2005 and independent of Major League Baseball...
in 2006. In 2007, he served as Vice President/Director of Baseball Operations for the South Coast League
South Coast League
The South Coast League of Professional Baseball , based in Conyers, Georgia, was a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Southeastern United States. It operated in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and was not affiliated with either. It folded...
. He also served as manager of the league's Anderson Joes
Anderson Joes
The Anderson Joes is a professional independent minor league baseball team in the South Coast League, based in Anderson, South Carolina,, USA. The team is not affilitated with Major League Baseball...
franchise for the final 37 games of the 2007 season. Beauchamp left both positions in November 2007 to become manager of the Wichita Wingnuts
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts are a professional baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts are a member of the Central Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.An expansion franchise in the...
of the American Association.
On July 9, 2008, Beauchamp had a major tirade, taking off his shoe and trying to make the umpire smell his shoe along with his armpit; he received a four-game suspension for his actions. His extreme emotional blowup, arguing the controversial call on behalf of his players, received national attention via major television networks and has become something of an internet sensation. At the end of the 2008 season, the Wingnuts decided not to retain Beauchamp as their manager.
Beauchamp is now a private instructor and coaches academy teams for Perfect Practice Athletic Center in Tulsa, OK.