Olympic medal record
Representing  United Kingdom
Men's Cricket
Gold medal – first place 1900 Paris Two-day 12-man

Charles B. K. Beachcroft (born Charles Beachey Kay; 21 January 1870 – 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.[1][2]

Personal life

Beachcroft was the son of a vicar, John Lowder Kay, and Elizabeth Beachey. He was born on 21 January 1870 at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.[3] 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.[4]

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.[1]

Athletic career

In the only match of the Olympics against France, he scored 23 runs in the first innings and 54 in the second.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Charles Beachcroft". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "C. B. K. Beachcroft". Olympedia. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Births". Western Times. No. 3640. Exeter. 25 January 1870. p. 4. OCLC 1288418155. Retrieved 9 October 2023. KAY.—Jan. 21, at Rickmansworth, Herts, the wife of the Rev. J. L. Kay, of a son.
  4. ↑ "GB Olympic Champions 1896-2014 - Cricket". gbolympics.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2017.

Further reading

  • Michael Fairley, One of Life's Great Charmers: A Biography of Charles Kay (2015)
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