Billy Beale: Lincoln County High School

Beale was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2010.

Lincoln County may be known for its football dominance under the state’s all-time winningest coach Larry Campbell. However, Billy Beale helped Lincoln County’s baseball program become one of the state’s best.

Beale was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2010. He retired after the 2011 season where he compiled a 478-331 record while coaching at Lincoln County and Jenkins County.

He coached Lincoln County from 1977-80 and from 1985-2011. His best season came in 1991 when he guided the program to an appearance in the Class 1A state semifinals.

“I never expected this,” Beale told the Lincoln Journal after his induction. “It’s a great honor, not just for me but for our school and our baseball program as well.

“This never would have happened without the support of the fans, parents, coaches, and administrators, not to mention some good ball players. I especially appreciate all of the hard work and long hours the players and assistant coaches have put in throughout the years. This is truly a community award.”

Beale played high school at Willingham High School in Macon where he was an outfielder and helped the team win the state championship in 1969. From 1971-72, he played in the outfield for the Georgia Bulldogs.

The longtime coach comes from a baseball family. His brother Chuck, also a member of the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame, was a successful coach at Dublin and Tift County before he retired. His youngest brother Ricky formerly was the head baseball coach at Evans. He is now the Evans High School athletic director .

In addition, he has two nephews – Chuck, Jr. (Johnson County) and Rusty (Cook) – who are high school baseball coaches.

Some information in this article was used from the Lincoln Journal.