OVAC Museum Features Beallsville Blue Devils
The Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Museum’s social media post this week featured the Beallsville Blue Devils.
With the recent vote by the Switzerland of Ohio School Board closing the high school, it is an appropriate time to recount the school’s sports history.
“Beallsville High School moved into a new building on the village’s west side in 1928.
“The school joined the OVAC in 1960. In 65 years as members of the OVAC, the Blue Devils won 37 conference championships with football claiming 10 of those titles and girls’ basketball winning eight.
“The basketball jersey in the pictured display case was previously worn and donated by Beallsville Athletic Director, Delmas Moore.
“The most notable athletic alum from Beallsville is former MLB and KBO pitcher Dustin Nippert. He played his college ball at West Virginia University and was drafted in the 15th round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nippert made his MLB debut with the D-Backs in 2005 and evenly split six seasons with Arizona and the Texas Rangers. Nippert signed with the Doosan Bears in Korea’s KBO professional baseball league and had a legendary career with the organization. In his seven seasons with Doosan, Nippert led the team to the 2015 Korean Series Championship, was named the 2016 KBO Most Valuable Player, and signed the largest contract of any foreign player in KBO history. In his final season in 2018 with the KT Wiz, Nippert became the first foreign born pitcher to win 100 career games in KBO history.
“Beallsville competed in its final athletic contest in the spring of 2025 as the school will not reopen for the 2025-26 academic year. We would like to thank all former Beallsville student-athletes, coaches, and staff along with the Beallsville community as a whole for being a strong and supportive member of the OVAC for over 60 years.”
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