CHINA SPRING, TX (FOX 44) — From the first win to 500 wins 24 years later, China Spring head baseball coach Cory Beckham continues to win no matter the level he coaches at.
“Every community bought into my coach and you know, I’m a tough guy,” Beckham said. “I’ve always had a lot of family support and I appreciate all that. But it’s not just from my wife, family and kids, but the family of each school I’ve been at.”
Beckham began his baseball career as a player at China Spring, helping lead the Cougars to their third state championship in 1989.
10 years later, he started his coaching career at Connally and carded his first career win with a familiar face at behind home plate. Midway Head Football Coach Shane Anderson played under Beckham in his first season as a head coach.
“[It’s] a testament to how hard he works and how good he is for kids,” Anderson said. “He’s been successful everywhere he’s been. That’s a tribute to him and his personality and who he is as a coach.”
After coaching seven seasons at Connally, Beckham moved on to Lake Belton where he started up the program and won back-to-back district titles. He got the China Spring job in 2022 after longtime head coach James Limmer moved to a new role in a new school district.
Beckham has led China Spring to a solid 16-3-1 start to begin his season but the highlight came on March 11th, when he recorded his 500th-career win.
The Cougars hosted a celebration on Saturday to honor Beckham where he received an engraved bat with the date of his 500th win as a baseball coach and an honorary first pitch from the same battery where he won his first game against Connally.