The American Baseball Dream
He holds his hand about four feet off of the floor. That is how small the Camp Point farm boy was when he already knew what his life’s dream was. He wanted to play professional baseball. And that wasn’t all, he wanted to pitch for the Chicago Cubs. This is the story of an American dream come true.
Paul Reuschel and his younger brother Rick would pitch against their country barn, and one can only imagine the baseball diamond jargon that was playing in their heads. They threw against the barn for so long and with such increased intensity that they finally broke a piece of the barn’s siding. Their father, perhaps having a premonition of what was to come, left the board as it was, a reminder of where they started and a testament to their determination.
Paul grew up in rural Camp Point, one of eight children, having six brothers and one sister. There was a 20-year age gap between his oldest brother and his baby sister, the youngest of the eight. Paul adds, with a smile, that all eight of them are still living, the oldest brother is 86.
Many of us may live under the assumption that the MLB players we see today playing with their multi-million dollar contracts grew up with the best of everything. The best camps, the best coaches, the best equipment, agents, affluent homes. The Reuschel family farm was a joint effort and everyone worked and worked hard. Paul recalls his father as being “the best man I ever knew”. And he remembers his mother as being one of the hardest working people he has ever known. Their house had no running water and no indoor bathroom, not uncommon for that era. His mother carried water from the outside well into the house to use for baths, drinking, cooking, laundry and washing dishes. Paul emphasizes “we were poor but we didn’t know it”. Paul and Rick Reuschel, as kids two years apart, would often pitch to each other, the batter being either from the Cubs (Paul) or the St. Louis Cardinals (Rick’s favorite team at the time). If only a video with audio existed from those days of the two young farm boys from the Village of Camp Point.
Paul and Rick weren’t the only talented athletes in the Reuschel family. Brothers Roger, Greg and Terry all played sports at the college level. Paul’s early path to the pros was very typical of young players today. He played Little League and Pony League at Golden, Illinois, and was always the pitcher, with little brother Rick oftentimes acting as catcher. He next attended Camp Point Central High School. While Paul and Rick were at Central together the baseball team never lost one conference game.
Paul graduated from Central High School in 1965 and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 26th round of the MLB draft. Instead of signing, the farm kid from Camp Point decided to pursue a teaching degree at Western Illinois University, and hone his baseball skills even a little more on the WIU baseball team. He was subsequently drafted each of the next three years by the Washington Senators, the California Angels and finally the Chicago Cubs, respectively.
Paul signed with the team of his childhood dreams in June of 1968, and began the journey to the big leagues of baseball. (Paul would spend seven years in the minor leagues, an experience he said was worth every minute). Rick followed his older brother to Western Illinois University and was selected in the third round of the 1970 draft by the Cubs. Rick made his MLB debut on June 19, 1972, against the San Francisco Giants and struck out the one batter he faced.
When Rick was called up from Triple-A Wichita, Paul was promoted, ironically, from Double-A Midland to take Rick’s spot on the Wichita roster. Three years later, the brothers from Camp Point were teammates with the Chicago Cubs. The hometown and Camp Point Central high school were no doubt bursting with pride, along with the Reuschel family.
Paul made his debut on July 25, 1975, pitching two innings against the New York Mets, allowing one earned run and two hits with one strikeout. Rick started the game and took the loss, allowing five runs in 4.1 innings as the Mets won 6-3. In the next month they didn’t pitch again in the same game. This writer asked Reuschel if he was nervous when he went to the pitcher’s mound for the first time in a Major League Baseball game, pitching for the Chicago Cubs no less.
Paul replied: “I was pretty nervous. But when the first batter I pitched to popped up, suddenly the nerves were gone. That batter was Russ Hodges”.
Before long, the Reuschel brothers would accomplish a feat that has never been repeated in Major League Baseball. Prior to this historic moment, Rick made five starts between the outings with his brother, going 2-2 with one no-decision. Meanwhile, Paul made 10 relief appearances before the game against the Dodgers, putting together a streak of seven consecutive scoreless outings that included his first MLB victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
On August 16, 1975, Rick threw a complete game, beating the Houston Astros 3-2, allowing two unearned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
There are nearly 100 instances in the history of Major League Baseball where brothers have been teammates. Only once, though, have two brothers combined to pitch a shutout in MLB history. Ironically, just by a fluke, it has been 51 years ago almost down to the day of the writing of this story that this event occurred. Here is how baseball history was made, with credits going to Matt Schuckman of the Muddy River Sports, 7-28-25 edition, who so eloquently described the moment: “On August 21, 1975, Rick Reuschel started against the Dodgers and allowed a one-out single to Lee Lacy in the first inning. He however got John Hale to hit into an inning-ended double play. Rick induced another inning-ending double play in the second inning off the bat of Ron Cey.
The Dodgers went down in order in the third inning, and Hale doubled with two outs in the fourth before Steve Garvey popped out on the infield to end the frame. A two out walk in the fifth caused no harm, and Rick Reuschel stranded another runner in scoring position in the sixth as Davey Lopes singled with one out and Hale popped out in foul territory.”
In the seventh, Garvey singled leading off and Rick Reuschel got Willie Crawford out on a ground ball. That’s when Cubs manager Jim Marshall went to the bullpen and summoned none other than Paul Reuschel. Which just gave this writer chills. One can only imagine the fever pitch of excitement in the stands, and back home in Camp Point. It was common knowledge in the MLB crowd that Paul Reuschel and Rick Reuschel were siblings.
After getting Cey to fly out, Paul hit Steve Yeager with a pitch to put two runners back on base, but he got pinch-hitter Leron Lee to ground out to end the inning. A twoout error allowed Lacy to reach safely in the eighth but Paul struck out Hale for the third out. In the ninth, Garvey led off with a single, but Paul got Crawford to fly out to end the game and preserve the victory and the SHUTOUT. Rick allowed five hits and one walk and no strikeouts over 6.1 innings to earn his 10th victory of the season. Paul allowed one hit and struck out one in 2.2 innings.” And the Boys of Summer slid safely into the baseball history books.
After the game Paul Reuschel told reporters he was “just happy to be of help”.
Had Paul never made it to the Cubs, he might have been a high school teacher, utilizing
the degree he obtained from Western Illinois University in physical education and health. It was in Macomb, Illinois, at WIU, that Paul met a young lady from the Chicago suburbs named Alene. Paul was student teaching in Hannibal, MO and was allowed to leave at noon one day for a very special occasion. He drove from Hannibal to Chicago for his wedding rehearsal dinner. He and Alene married in 1969. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Paul has been supportive over the years of his wife’s teaching and administrative careers. Alene has in recent years served as superintendent of Avon School District (eight years) and Macomb District 185 (six years). While his wife was serving as superintendents, Paul spent some time substitute teaching in local schools. The students were delighted to find out that he was a former MLB player, and no doubt peppered him with questions. One popular question - was he ever struck by a line drive? The answer was yes, twice, both times to the shins, once by Lou Brock. And yes, it hurt.
Roseville Elementary School Principal Mike Kirby had called Paul to sub for his school one time. Mike had a couple cards he wanted autographed in the worst way, but he hesitated as to whether that was really professional. Finally he got up the nerve and asked. Paul replied that he would sign them if at first he could take the cards down to the third grade classroom where he was subbing and show the kids. He knew a teachable moment when he saw one.
Paul and Alene Reuschel are busy enjoying their retirement in the Macomb area. Over the last few years they have made return pilgrimages to all 30 MLB ballparks for old time sakes. Wrigley Field continues to be Paul’s all time favorite with the ivy on the walls, and he hopes it never changes.
Paul is an avid golfer and has helped manage various golf courses in the local area. He spends most of his golfing time these days at the Macomb Country Club. Perhaps to this writer the most heartwarming part of this story is the fact that Paul’s parents got to travel to many of their sons’ games and sit in the coveted family boxes to watch two of their eight children pitch for the Chicago Cubs.
The farm family from Camp Point no doubt sacrificed much for their children. Paul’s father, however, was quick to respond to a comment made to him one time. Someone said “you must be really proud of those two boys of yours”. Mr. Reuschel answered “I am no more proud of them than I am of all my children”.
Paul still owns the family farm at Camp Point, but the barn that he pitched against while dreaming of a baseball career is gone. He is an avid Cub fan, and enjoys a “Cub Room” in his home full of his memorabilia. One trip Paul would like to make is to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, IA. Of course people probably won’t know who he is, and he certainly won’t tell them.
Paul Reuschel is the quiet celebrity that walks among us.
Credits: Paul and Alene Reuschel Muddy River Sports, Matt Schuckman Mike Kirby Society of Baseball Research
As of 2025, the Reuschel brothers are one of eight pairs of siblings to pitch in the same game since 1900. Other pairs included: - Christy and Henry Mathewson (1906) - Dizzy and Paul Dean (1934) - Eddie and Johnny O’Brien (1956) - Von and Lindy McDaniel (1957) - Phil and Joe Niekro (1973-74) - Rick and Mickey Mahler (1979) - Ramon and Pedro Martinez (1999)
