HIRAM, Ohio – August 18, 2023 – Cynthia Clark Beacham '78 remembers her days on the Hiram College campus well. As a three-sport athlete who grew up in Cleveland with seven brothers and six sisters, she embraced the opportunity to thrive in the classroom and on the playing field.
"I enjoyed every second, every minute, every day, every hour of being at Hiram College," Beacham said. "It was a great experience because you have interactions with people from all races, all colors, (all religions) and it was really beautiful."
Beacham played basketball, volleyball and tennis at Hiram College, notably competing as part of the first official women's basketball and volleyball teams in the history of the school in 1974-75. She was a two-time MVP of the basketball team and eventually went on to win the inaugural Helen M. Petroskey Award in 1978, which is awarded annually to Hiram's outstanding female athlete of the year.
Twelve years later, Hiram College inducted Beacham into the William H. Hollinger Hall of Fame. Beacham became the first African American female student-athlete to be inducted and joined Grace Butcher '66 as the second female to be enshrined in the history of Hiram Athletics.
"I still have that inner-drive to be competitive. I don't think I've lost that edge yet," Beacham said in reflecting upon her experience.
Beacham is indeed still at the top of her game. She now serves as a member of the Hollinger Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and competes in senior track and field throwing events after working for 36 years as a health, physical education and life skills teacher at Collinwood High School and Whitney Young (both in Cleveland, OH).
She recently competed at the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, PA in July, placing 5th in the discus, 5th in the hammer throw, 6th in the shot put and 14th in the javelin. She was one of 18 athletes to earn a Humana Game-Changer Award in front of a crowd of 12,000 people at the event.
Beacham's passion for sports began at a young age. In sixth grade, her physical education teacher at Outhwaite Elementary School (now Alfred A. Benesch) had the students participate in wheelbarrow races, where one student would hold the legs of another student while they walk with their hands. The competitive nature of the game motivated Beacham to be as active as she could possibly be.
"I just loved physical education and the movement and how I could win without using my legs," Beacham said. "It was really exhilarating, even at that age."
In the summer, Beacham played tennis in the National Junior Tennis League, ran track for the Junior Olympics and practiced the softball throw, which involved throwing a softball from one end of a field to the other. She ran the quarter-mile at that age and recalls the race when an opposing runner passed her just before the finish line.
"I don't know why I looked back, but it was over. Somebody ran past me and my heart was broken," Beacham said. "After that, I said, 'I'm not looking back anymore.' I always follow that – never look back."
Beacham would catapult forward into a life of success; she earned an award for never being tardy or absent for 13 straight years before deciding to take the next step and attend Hiram College beginning in 1974. Her competitive edge and inner-drive was a perfect fit for the quiet town in Northeast Ohio.
"When I went to Hiram, I was really surprised that I could actually compete," Beacham said. "I was good in the classroom and even better on the athletic field."
Beacham and the 1974-75 women's basketball team earned their first win in program history against Thiel, 45-44. The team would go on to win five of its 10 games in 1976-77 under head coach Pat Vidis, which included victories over Mount Union, Ursuline, Case Western, Thiel and Kent State Trumbull. Beacham then spearheaded the team in 1977-78 and culminated her career with the first ever Helen M. Petroskey Award.
Beacham remembers the inception of the three-point line, when she would practice shooting deeper shots in the Hiram Fieldhouse and main gym.
"I just remember launching and the basketball going in," Beacham said. "Every time I got the ball, I wanted the three-pointer."
Beacham also recalls writing a paper on Title IX when she was young; her passion for sports was tied to her desire for equal opportunities on the playing field. She went on to play in each of the first four seasons in the history of the women's basketball and volleyball programs at Hiram, while also serving as a member of the tennis team. Those sports would first compete as part of the Presidents' Athletic Conference in the 1984-85 academic year.
Among the many coaches in Beacham's collegiate career were William Hollinger '43, William Proverbs '58, Myrtis Herndon and William Donaldson, all of whom are also in the Hall of Fame – with Hollinger's name now forever connected to that group of accomplished student-athletes. Their commitment to coaching lifted Beacham to a special four years at Hiram.
"They made me understand the philosophy of the game even more," Beacham said.
Beacham's overall experience with the basketball, tennis and volleyball teams produced memories that she will continue to cherish forever.
"I take everything I did at Hiram and put it on the top shelf because that's where I began to mature and grow," Beacham said. "I appreciate all the opportunities that Hiram has afforded me to become who I am and what I am."
