Lawrenceburg’s Field of Dreams: Billy McCool and the Major Leagues

McCool pitched seven seasons in the majors.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - William John McCool was born July 14, 1944, in Lawrenceburg, about 25 miles from Crosley Field, home of the Cincinnati Reds. Since Lawrenceburg didn’t have a hospital then, nearby Batesville was recorded as his birthplace. But Lawrenceburg is the town that shaped him. It was here that Carl and Dolores McCool raised their son, Billy, to run and play and develop the athletic drive that would make him an All Star.

At Lawrenceburg High School, he excelled at all sports - playing fullback on the football team and getting noticed on the basketball court. But baseball was where his talent separated him. He hit over .400 every season in high school and dominated on the mound, compiling an 18–2 winning record, including a perfect 7–0 senior year. His three no-hitters in high school added to his local legend.

Much of McCool’s development was shaped by longtime Lawrenceburg coach Pat O'Neill, who worked with him from Little League through American Legion play. Years later, he credited his coach with guiding his mechanics and discipline.

At just 19 years old, McCool made his Major League debut in April 1964 after signing with the Cincinnati Reds. Pitching at Crosley Field against the San Francisco Giants, he took the mound in front of family and friends. Facing sluggers such as Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, and Willie Mays, McCool showed no outward sign of intimidation. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 195 pounds, he relied on a powerful fastball that frequently splintered right-handers’ bats.

His rookie season quickly established him as one of the National League’s most promising young pitchers. He earned his first Major League win on June 2 in Milwaukee, just weeks shy of turning 20. Veteran Joe Nuxhall joked that the rookie had not even started shaving yet, but McCool pitched with confidence far beyond his years. Yet, his emotions sometimes spilled over after poor outings - so much so that the Reds’ maintenance crew eventually installed a cage around the clubhouse water cooler.

Though McCool had hoped to become a starting pitcher, his greatest success came out of the bullpen. His ability to thrive in critical moments made him valuable to every club he played for and helped earn him a National League All-Star selection in 1966.

Injuries, however, shortened what might have been a longer career. A knee injury in 1967 disrupted his mechanics. Elbow tendinitis and shoulder stiffness followed. In later years, McCool reflected on how different medical advances might have changed his fate, noting that modern surgical options could have kept him on the mound.

McCool pitched seven seasons in the majors from 1964 to 1970, with the Reds, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. His achievements were formally recognized decades later with induction into both the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame and the Indiana High School Hall of Fame.

In 1967, teammate Pete Rose arranged a blind double-date. Billy ended up marrying his date, Carol Reuteler. After retiring from his baseball career, Billy and Carol moved to Centerville, Ohio, to raise their family. He worked as a sports anchor in Dayton, then worked in the steel industry, and wrote a pitching guide, The Billy McCool Pitching Digest.

For too short a time, he dazzled baseball fans and players alike when he would step on the pitcher’s mound and put fear in the eyes of the batter when he released a pitch that he had mastered during his days on the diamonds in Lawrenceburg.

Billy McCool passed away in 2014. After playing on fields around the country, Billy McCool enjoyed a successful 31 year career, a marriage that lasted 47 years, three children, seven grandchildren and a home in Florida where he spent his last summers. He lived the dream.