Paul “Ears” McNeal attended St. Mary’s High School in Hagerstown and was a member of the varsity baseball and basketball teams in the 1940s.

McNeal entered the U.S. Army in January 1946. He played baseball for the Far East Air Force team in the All-American League of Japan. After discharge from the Army, “Ears” received an athletic scholarship to Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Va., where he played baseball and basketball.

He later played amateur and semi-pro baseball for 10 years in Washington County sandlot leagues. He played a brief time in professional baseball during the 1955 season when he signed as a backup catcher for the Hagerstown Packets of the Class B Piedmont League.

In 1957, Paul became a part-time scout for the Baltimore Orioles of the American League. His scouting area included Western Maryland, the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and Southern Pennsylvania. His duties included assisting in conducting tryout camps for the Orioles in large cities, such as Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia, for the purpose of signing young baseball prospects.

For 20 years, McNeal served as a minor league instructor at the Orioles’ spring training camps in Florida. For eight seasons, he was under contract to the Orioles as a full-time minor league coach, mainly with the Hagerstown Suns of the Class A Carolina League.

In December 1982, “Ears” was awarded a plaque from the Orioles in recognition of his 27 years of outstanding service to the club. At the same time, he was given a 1983 World Series championship ring by the Orioles.

McNeal is recognized as one of the most durable basketball officials in America. He joined the National Association of Basketball Officials in 1949 and has officiated more than 2,700 games during 40 consecutive seasons at the time of his induction. During his officiating career, he has worked hundreds of high school and college games, including 23 years in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Conference and the Maryland JUCO Conference.

Paul umpired high school and college baseball games for 13 years at the time of his induction, as well as PONY League games. He officiated high school football for 15 years.