ABOUT
Red, White & Bluma — A Brief Overview
Founded: 2014 by former Kansas City Royals pitcher Jaime Bluma.
Mission: To raise funds supporting local Kansas City–area charities and military-based nonprofits.
Legal Status: Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Overland Park, Kansas.
Flagship Event: Blumapalooza
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Known as a country-western concert and car expo, Blumapalooza served as Red, White & Bluma’s signature fundraising event.
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The 2016 edition took place on September 19 at Stonegate Motorplaza—a venue featuring premium garage condominiums and expansive outdoor space InstaFunKC Photobooth+1.
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Attendees contributed $50, which granted them access to performances by artists like Rivertown, Sim Balkey, and Noe Palma, garage condo tours, and both silent and live auctions InstaFunKC Photobooth+1.
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The event also featured a vintage camper photo booth (courtesy of InstaFunKC PhotoBooth), decorated in vibrant red, white, and blue props—infusing the night with playful, patriotic energy InstaFunKC Photobooth+1.
In Summary
Red, White & Bluma is Jaime Bluma’s charitable endeavor, channeling his passion and community ties into meaningful support for local and military-focused nonprofits. Through creative fundraising—like Blumapalooza, which blends live music, automotive displays, and auctions—it brings people together to contribute to worthy causes.
Jaime Bluma — Player Bio
James Andrew “Jaime” Bluma (born May 18, 1972 in Beaufort, South Carolina) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who had a brief but memorable stint with the Kansas City Royals in 1996 WikipediaBaseball-Reference.com.
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College & Amateur Career
Raised in Owasso, Oklahoma, Bluma shone at Owasso High School and then at Wichita State University, where he became the school's all-time leader in both saves and appearances. He starred in three consecutive College World Series, posting a staggering 0.48 ERA in that span. He also played summer ball in 1992 with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League and earned All-Missouri Valley Conference and All-Academic honors in both 1993 and 1994 Wikipedia. -
Draft & Professional Ascent
After being selected by the Houston Astros in the 7th round of the 1993 draft—but opting to return to college—Bluma was then picked in the 3rd round by the Royals in 1994. He quickly advanced through the minors, pitching for teams in Eugene, Wilmington, Wichita, and Omaha before earning a major league call-up in August 1996 WikipediaStats CrewBaseball-Reference.comMLB.com. -
MLB Career
Bluma appeared in 17 games during the 1996 season, pitching 20 innings with a solid 3.60 ERA, striking out 14 and securing 5 saves. Despite his promising performance, a shoulder injury later that year ended his major league aspirations WikipediaMLB.comMLB.com. -
Post-Injury Career & Coaching
Following shoulder surgery, Bluma missed the entire 1997 season and spent the next few years working his way through Double-A and Triple-A levels before retiring around 2000 WikipediaStats Crew. He then transitioned into coaching and front-office roles—serving as assistant general manager of the Old Ball Game Training Academy (2001–2006) and pitching coach for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots during the summers of 2003–2004, mentoring future MLB names like Mike Pelfrey and Jacoby Ellsbury Wikipedia. -
Honors & Later Life
Bluma was inducted into the Wichita State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 for his collegiate achievements Wikipedia. He currently resides in the Kansas City area and works as a pitching coach at the Kansas City Sports Club. In December 2013, he was seriously injured while rescuing children from a car accident—suffering a full patellar tendon rupture—but all others involved escaped with minor injuries