McCay a hit with Paints, fans

by Marc Viquez
Published on July 3, 2003 under Frontier League (FL)

When a player is reaching certain milestones in professional baseball one would think they would be aware of their feats, but for the Chillicothe Paints' Matt McCay, such milestones were unbeknown to him. A day after he collected his 303rd hit and established a new mark in franchise history, McCay was back to work for the Paints.

"I didn't know until the other night," said McCay who eclipsed the record set by former Paint Scott Pinoni. "I thought I had around 70 hits until the mark, but didn't know until after I had hit the double."

McCay currently has a .318 lifetime average, was named to two All-Star Games and was selected team co-MVP in 2002. He has developed a following in the community, but does not dare call Chillicothe a small town.

"It is a tight knit community," said McCay after a 9-1 victory over the Florence Freedom. "Since the first day I got here I see the same people at each game. There are hundreds of different groups of people who I see everyday."

Chillicothe, Ohio, is the smallest market in the Frontier League and the lone remaining charter member from the league's inaugural season in 1993. In the past decade new stadiums have been built in the suburbs of Chicago and St. Louis for teams, while squads in smaller markets such as Huntington, Ind., Portsmouth, Ohio, and Johnstown, Pen., have folded.

Things are a little different in this Southern Ohio town, however, and McCay and the fans have formed a tight bond with one another. Down a section of the first base line sit a collection of season ticket holders and house mothers who provide homes for players during the baseball season.

"He is very personal, friendly, fun to be with, has a good attitude and is always smiling," said Bea Beeks who serves as housemother to Mike Gitts. "He is very much a team leader and represents the Paints well in the community."

McCay, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, began his professional career with the Paints in 2000 after going undrafted out of college. He made an immediate impression with the fans when he stepped up to the plate with The Dukes of Hazard theme blasting in the background.

"He's a good 'ol Southern boy," added season ticket holder Dave Whitehouse. "He brings his Southern hospitality up here to Chillicothe."

McCay, like most players in the league, has aspirations of signing with organized baseball, though, playing in this tight knit community has been far from disappointing.

"There is no other place I would rather play," he said. "They [Paints' ownership] take care of us. Luckily I had the opportunity to break the record in this place."

When McCay finally moves on to another league, he will have left his mark among the likes of past Paints' players Pinoni, Brian Tolberg (who was the first Frontier League player to make it to the Major Leagues with San Diego), Gator McBride and Mitch House.

"He is a heck of a player," said season ticket holder Jenny Climer. "He is well liked by everybody. He likes kids and they like him."

Frontier League Stories from July 3, 2003

• McCay a hit with Paints, fans - OSC Original by Marc Viquez
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• Wild Things lose to Chillicothe 4-1 - Washington Wild Things
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• Rascals Lose Series Finale to Kenosha, 9-7 - River City Rascals
• Cheetahs Sweep Mavs - Windy City ThunderBolts

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