Kirk Champion

Kirk Champion

• School Southwest Missouri State University

• Born September 4, 1957 in Granite City, IL USA

Biographical Information

Kirk Champion is the brother of Keith Champion. Kirk was assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State University (1979-1981) then head coach at Rend Lake Junior College from 1982-1985. From 1986-1988, he was assistant coach at Southern Illinois University.

Champion moved into the pro ranks in 1989 as a pitching coach for the South Bend White Sox and held that job for 3 years. In 1992, he was pitching coach of the Sarasota White Sox. He was pitching coach of the Birmingham Barons from 1993-1996, then was with the Nashville Sounds in 1997, making it to AAA. He remained at that level in 1998 with the Calgary Cannons, then from 1999-2002 with the Charlotte Knights.

In 2003, Champion became the minor league pitching coordinator for the Chicago White Sox, a job he held (shared with Curt Hasler) until 2011. He was the White Sox' minor league field coordinator in 2012-2016 and minor league field coordinator in 2017. In 2018, he was named the White Sox's director of minor league pitching instruction.

Champion has also been pitching coach of Team USA in the 2001 Baseball World Cup, 2006 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, 2009 Baseball World Cup, 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament, 2011 Baseball World Cup and 2011 Pan American Games. Additionally, he was a pitching coach in the 2001 International League All-Star Game, 2000 Futures Game, 1992 Florida State League All-Star Game and 1989 Midwest League All-Star Game. He also was a pitching coach in 1990, 1992 and 1993 in the Venezuelan Winter League. He has helped run baseball clinics in Germany.

Source: 2009 German baseball clinic staff bios