C. B. K. Beachcroft
{{Short description|British cricketer (1870–1928)}}
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{{Use British English|date=October 2023}}
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{{MedalCountry|{{GBR}}}}
{{MedalSport | Men's Cricket}}
{{MedalGold | 1900 Paris | Two-day 12-man}}
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Charles B. K. Beachcroft (born Charles Beachey Kay; 21 January 1870{{spaced ndash}}1 July 1928) was an English cricketer who was captain of the tournament-winning Devon and Somerset Wanderers team that represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics, the only time cricket has been an Olympic sport.{{cite web|title=Charles Beachcroft|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/charles-beachcroft-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418040629/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/charles-beachcroft-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|website=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|accessdate=11 June 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/17912 |title=C. B. K. Beachcroft |work=Olympedia |accessdate=24 December 2020}}
Personal life
Beachcroft was the son of a vicar, John Lowder Kay, and Elizabeth Beachey. He was born on 21{{nbsp}}January 1870 at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.{{cite news|author= |date=25 January 1870 |title=Births |work=Western Times |number=3640 |page=4 |location=Exeter |language=en |oclc= 1288418155 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/18700125/054/0004 |access-date=9 October 2023 |url-access=subscription |quote=KAY.—Jan. 21, at Rickmansworth, Herts, the wife of the Rev. J. L. Kay, of a son.}} His father died in 1877 and Charles and his mother moved to Devon. He grew up to become a county level player in rugby, hockey and cricket, introduced the game of ping-pong to the county, and also competed in shooting. He played as opening bat for Exeter and various other local cricket teams, including Starcross. He married a local girl in 1889 and had four children before being arrested for abduction of a 17-year-old girl. The following year he married this girl, returned to Devon and took on the license of the Royal Hotel, Dawlish, under the name of C. B. Kay Beachcroft.{{cite web|title=GB Olympic Champions 1896-2014 - Cricket|url=http://gbolympics.co.uk/cricket.html#beachcroft|website=gbolympics.co.uk|accessdate=11 June 2017}}
In the 1901 census his occupation is listed as a licensed victualler. His biography (One of Life's Great Charmers: A Biography of Charles Kay) shows that he was later declared bankrupt. In 1905, under the name of Charles Kay, he joined the stage and became a variety artist, humorist, comedian, actor, pantomime villain and touring theatre company manager, touring Stoll Moss theatres throughout England and Scotland over 16 years with different stage assistants/partners (Sybil Franklin, Lola Trent and Sadie Logan) and fathering a total of 13 children. He emigrated to Australia in 1921 and toured theatres in Australia and New Zealand until his death in Melbourne in 1928.
Athletic career
{{Main|Cricket at the 1900 Summer Olympics}}
In the only match of the Olympics against France, he scored 23 runs in the first innings and 54 in the second.
References
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External links
- {{sports links}}
- [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/104/104760.html Olympic Final scorecard]
- [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1900S/1900/OLYMP/GREAT-BRIT_FRANCE_OLYMP_FINAL_19-20AUG1900_PLAYERS.html Profiles of the British players at the 1900 Olympics]
Further reading
- Michael Fairley, One of Life's Great Charmers: A Biography of Charles Kay (2015)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beachcroft, C. B. K.}}
Category:English cricketers of 1890 to 1918
Category:English Olympic competitors
Category:Olympic cricketers for Great Britain
Category:Cricketers at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain
Category:People from Rickmansworth
Category:Medalists at the 1900 Summer Olympics