Maine Baseball HOF
- Aug 9, 2019
- 3 min read

Reynolds, Bill (2005)

Catcher Bill Reynolds was one of several instate players on the UMaine team that went to the College World Series in 1986. Reynolds played at Edward Little High in Auburn.

Born in Auburn, Bill Reynolds’ fledgling baseball career was launched on the sandlots of Granite Street Park.

“I pretty much learned baseball on my own’, says Reynolds, who was fortunate to live in a neighborhood full of kids who were always on the lookout for the next pick-up game.

Reynolds quickly achieved stature during his formative years and was a key member of the Auburn Suburban Senior Little League All-Star team which won consecutive New England championships in 1978 and 1979 with the latter squad going on to capture regional honors.

Reynolds’ All-Star manager was Dennis Sweetser whose attention to detail and encouraging style was influential in shaping the talented 15-year old’s approach to the game.

enjoyed a star-studded career at Edward Little High compiling a lofty .360 career batting average while earning All-Telegram League first team honors twice.

pastimed for the New Auburn Legion team in the summer and continued to refine a keen appreciation of the game’s nuances under Don DeWolfe and Mike Coutts.

The sturdy catcher capped his high school tenure with a selection to the 1982 All New England High School Baseball first team.

Having regularly attended John Winkin’s baseball clinics for years, 1t was only natural that Reynolds chose to attend UMO in the fall of 1982 and was promptly installed as the Black Bears’ third baseman.

the Reynolds years at UMaine were highlighted by three trips to the College World Series and the opportunity to play against the best collegians in the country.

As a freshman, Reynolds belted a game-winning home run against Harvard to earn the Black Bears a berth in the 1983 World Series.

Billy Swift pitched well in a losing effort against Barry Bonds and Arizona State while Reynolds got the only hit of future big-leaguer Doug Henry.

Reynolds was plagued with injuries during his sophomore year and moved to the outfield when he returned to a line-up which nevertheless was solid enough to make a return trip to the College World Series in 1984 behind Billy Swift.

Bill's senior year was marked by a legendary post-season performance on the way to another College World Series appearance.

Reynolds tied an NCAA record with four home runs and nine RBIs n Maine’s 21-8 thrashing of St. John’s in the championship game of the Northeast regional.

Reynolds continued his torrid hitting in the College World Series, going 4 for 8 in two games and being named to the tournament all-star team as a catcher.

‘The Black Bears fell to LSU and Albert Belle, however, to end an exceptional 1986 season.

Billy’s exploits on the national stage did not go unnoticed and the Oakland A’s selected him in the 18th round of the draft.

Reynolds played for the A’s Medford (Oregon) Rookie League team and Class A Madison (Wisconsin) Midwest League team before a rash of injuries finally caught up to him and led to his release after three professional seasons.

following his playing days, Reynolds joined his father in the family business, Reynolds ‘Tree Expert Company, which later merged with Lucas Tree Expert Company.

Billy and his wife Pamela (also an Edward Little grad and a former aerobics instructor) now reside in Poland with their two girls, ages 8 and 6.

Asked to name the formative influences in his baseball career, Reynolds doesn’t hesitate in singling out Mike Coutts and John Winkin.

“Mike was four years older than I and he taught me how to think and act like a ballplayer.

Coach Winkin knew the game down pat - he always said if you want to be the best, you’ve got to play the best, and he always prepared us to play our best”’.

https://www.pressherald.com/2011/06/26/a-trip-to-omaha-25-years-ago_2011-06-26/