Fathers, Sons and Brothers

Sports can be one big family, with one family member following another into their chosen game.

Nowhere is that more true than in the game of baseball. Sons follow fathers. Brothers follow brothers.

It's also something that is well-represented in the 1990 CMC set.

In the CMC set, there are no fewer than nine sets of brothers that appear, brothers that were in the minor leagues in 1990 and working toward the same goal at the same time. There were also two fathers in the set who also had sons there, following their fathers on the diamond.

Among the brothers in the set were Royce Clayton and brother Royal Clayton. As brothers, they both played professionally, both making the 1990 CMC set. Royce made it as a member of the single-A San Jose Giants; Royals as a member of the AA Albany Yankees.

As brothers, though, they couldn't have had careers that were more different. Royce made the majors in 17 different seasons. Royal Clayton never made it.

Going into 1988, though, Royce Clayton talked about his relationship with his brother to The Los Angeles Times. At that point Royce was still in high school, Royal had a season as a pro behind him.

"He's had a tough time in the minors," Royce Clayton told The Times that April. "He's stuck it out even though he hasn't gotten his shot yet. But he's always helped me out and I've always looked up to him."

In researching the 1990 CMC set, it sometimes seemed like a big game of Memory, pulling the latest player out to feature, then having the name ring a bell. Sure enough, the players would be related.

There was John Mitchell and his brother Charlie Mitchell, as well as John Trautwein and brother Dave Trautwein. There was also Jose Mota and brother Andy Mota, sons of former major leaguer Manny Mota.

The Maas brothers came up through the same system, both starting 1990 at AAA Columbus. Their careers, though, would also be markedly different. Kevin Maas became a brief star in the Bronx, ultimately playing in five major league seasons. Brother Jason Maas, though, seemed to hit a ceiling with the Yankees, never making it above AAA.

It was actually a dispute over that perceived ceiling that ended Jason Maas' career. Jason Maas ultimately asked for his release, not believing the Yankees were going to bring him up. The Yankees refused. Maas responded by retiring and making plans to go to college.

"They never treated him well," brother Kevin Maas told a reporter in early August 1991. Kevin Maas also went into a slump after the dispute came to a head. "It's sad to see my brother end up on that type of note."

One set of brothers actually also had their father in the set, and in minor league baseball in 1990.

Claude Osteen was a former Dodger pitcher, serving as pitching coach with the Dodgers' AAA team in Albuquerque in 1990. Also in the minors that year was son Dave Osteen, who played at AAA Louisville, and son Gavin Osteen, played at single-A Madison. Neither, though, made the majors.

The other father-son combination in the set was Jim Beauchamp, manager at AAA Richmond in 1990, and son Kash Beauchamp, who was in his ninth season of pro ball that year, playing at AAA Phoenix.

After the father passed away in 2007, son Kash Beauchamp spoke of his dad, the man he knew both on and off the field.

"As a son, my fondest memory of him was how much he told us he loved us," Kash Beauchamp told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after his father's passing. "As tough as he was as a competitor and a baseball man, he had a very soft side when it came to being a father."

Fathers and Sons:
Jim Beauchamp - Kash Beauchamp
Claude Osteen - Dave Osteen - Gavin Osteen

Brothers 
Isaiah Clark - Phil Clark
Royal Clayton - Royce Clayton 
Jason Maas - Kevin Maas
Josias Manzanillo - Ravelo Manzanillo;
Charlie Mitchell - John Mitchell
Andy Mota - Jose Mota
Dave Osteen - Gavin Osteen
Pete Stanicek - Steve Stanicek
Dave Trautwein - John Trautwein

• Los Angeles Times, April 28, 1988: Shortstop Has Coaches, Scouts Flipping
• Pittsburgh Press, Aug. 2, 1991: A brotherly distraction
• USA Today, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dec. 28, 2007: Former Atlanta coach Jim Beauchamp dies at 68