Our Arklahoma Heritage: Montgomery County "pitcher" won AHPA state title in 1999 and passed on legacy to his grandson
- Dennis McCaslin
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
In the quiet community of Story, Arkansas, a small Ozark Mountain town where life moves to the rhythm of nature rather than the clock, William D. “Bill” McKay lived a full life rooted in simple pleasures. Born on April 20, 1934, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking, gardening, and, above all, pitching horseshoes.
Bill competed for many years in the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association and its Arkansas affiliate. His crowning achievement came in 1998 when he claimed the Arkansas Men’s State Championship. He was more than a competitor. In the late 1980s, under his leadership, the Hiway 27 League in Story built a 16-court facility that gave local pitchers a dedicated place to practice and compete.
Records from that era show him placing strongly in state-level events.Bill McKay’s love of horseshoes created a lasting family tradition. One of his grandsons, Chase Battle-Smith of nearby Mount Ida, grew up around the backyard pits and local leagues of Montgomery County. What began as family gatherings and community tournaments became the foundation for serious competition.
By his junior years, Chase was already making his mark. In 2000, at the NHPA World Tournament in Bismarck, North Dakota, Chase Battle of Mount Ida went undefeated at 7-0 with a ringer percentage of 74.6 percent to win the Junior Boys Division Championship. He earned recognition as a multiple-time Arkansas state champion in the boys and junior divisions, with notable titles in 1997 and 2003.
His success placed him among the top young talents in the country during that period.h Battle-Smith currently resides in Greenwood..
Horseshoe pitching demands precision, consistency, and mental toughness. Those qualities defined Bill McKay’s approach to the game, and they clearly shaped the next generation. The sand pits and sanctioned tournaments of rural Arkansas served as Chase’s training ground. Family involvement turned casual play into national achievement.
Arkansas has maintained an active horseshoe pitching scene through the Arkansas Horseshoe Pitchers Association, which supports the sport at local and state levels.
Bill McKay helped build its infrastructure and competitive spirit in the 1980s and 1990s. His 1998 state title added to a tradition that has produced strong performers across age groups. Chase carried that tradition forward with his world-level junior title and repeated state success.
Today, Chase Battle-Smith has built a distinguished career beyond the pitching pits. A U.S. Army veteran, he serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Arkansas Army National Guard in the Greater Fort Smith area. He is known as a passionate leader skilled at guiding teams through change.
He holds education credentials from the University of Arkansas system and has deployed multiple times in support of the nation, including tours in Afghanistan. While horseshoe pitching is no longer his daily focus, the lessons in discipline, focus, and community endure.
Horseshoe pitching often flies under the radar in mainstream sports conversations, yet it requires the same fundamentals as more celebrated games: hand-eye coordination, strategic decisions between ringers and blockers, and calm under pressure. In small towns like Story and Mount Ida, the sport has fostered community for decades.
Families gather at sand pits, neighbors compete in tournaments, and lifelong friendships form over the clang of iron on iron.
Bill McKay’s dedication earned him a state title and local respect while inspiring family members who followed in his footsteps. In an age of flashy digital entertainment and big-money athletics, stories like this remind us of the enduring appeal of simple, skillful pastimes.
The ringer percentages may fade from memory, but the legacy of a grandfather who built courts, won titles, and passed on his passion continues to ring true.
William D. “Bill” McKay passed away on July 31, 2017, at the age of 83. When he died, the family honored his deep ties to the sport in a meaningful way. The obituary noted that honorary pallbearers at his funeral included the pitchers of the NHPA. Fellow competitors from across the horseshoe community turned out to carry him to his final resting place at Lee Cemetery.
It was a fitting tribute to a man whose passion for the game had touched so many lives. The pits in Story may be quieter now, yet the horseshoe legacy of Bill McKay lives on through the generations he influenced.\
