Jay Beach

Jay Beach, who was born March 30, 1935 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, graduated from Stadium High School, where he was a baseball infielder, in 1953.

He made his name in the Tacoma sports scene as a fastpitch softball standout, starting in 1958 with the Dugout Drive-In. Over the years he played for numerous other teams including Ray Roberts VFW, Puget Sound Bank, West End Tavern, Rohr Aviation, Ruth Realty and Pay’n Pak. From 1972-75 he played for Manke & Sons, providing talent and veteran experience to the team that won the 1974 Pacific Northwest Regional Championship played in Spokane. The victory qualified the team for the national fastpitch tournament in Clearwater, Fla., where Beach hit .333 for Manke & Sons. In addition to the team success, Beach earned all-star honors in numerous tournaments in Washington and Oregon. Beach concluded his fastpitch career in 1979 with B&I Sports.

An excellent golfer, he served as the assistant pro at Lake Spanaway Golf Course for nine years and is currently at Elk Run Golf Course in Maple Valley.