Nevalee O’Neill, 63, is widely recognized for her role beside Paul O’Neill, the former Major League Baseball star celebrated for his years with the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees. While Paul was building his reputation on the field, Nevalee shared the day-to-day life that comes with being part of a professional baseball family.
The couple married on December 29, 1984, when both were 21 years old. They raised three children—Andrew, Aaron, and Alexandra—all now adults. Their son Aaron followed the athletic path as well, playing college basketball as a shooting guard for the Furman Paladins.
Below, we’ll explore more about Nevalee’s life and experiences.
Her Parents’ Marriage Lasted Nearly Seven Decades
Nevalee, the youngest child of Patricia and Forrest Davis, was born in Columbus, Ohio. Her parents truly lived the phrase till death do us part, remaining together for almost seventy years.
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, her father was an enthusiastic sports fan. After retiring from the Penn Central Railroad, he devoted much of his free time to golf—especially at the York Temple Country Club, where he had been playing for more than fifty years. He and his brother often entered golf tournaments together.
He also loved baseball and, remarkably, managed to visit every Major League ballpark.
By the time Nevalee reached high school, her older siblings, Thomas and Cheryl, had moved out, but her parents remained steady influences in her life.
Her father passed away on March 19, 2010, at the age of 90, and her mother died five years later, on April 13, 2015, at 96.
High School Cheerleader Who Caught His Eye
She attended Brookhaven High School, the same institution Paul went to. While in high school she was a member of the cheerleading squad for the school’s basketball team.
Her spirited routines did more than rally the fans — they also captured the attention of her future husband, who at the time was splitting his efforts between football and basketball. With both seasons overlapping, he faced a choice between the two sports.
Seeing Nevalee on the basketball sideline made his decision easier. He even admits in his book, Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, “It might have made a slight difference that there was a certain beautiful cheerleader on the basketball cheering squad named Nevalee Davis.”
Neighbors to Newlyweds: Nevalee and Paul’s Longtime Love Story
Their relationship reads like something destined to happen. When the O’Neill family went looking for a puppy, they visited the Davis household just after the family dog had a litter — a chance stop that set a lifelong connection in motion.
They were also classmates in kindergarten, and their parents arranged a carpool that put them together every day. From age 5 onward, those shared rides made them more than schoolmates; they became constant companions.
By the time they attended Brookhaven High, the bond had deepened into romance. High school brought them closer still, including a memorable date at a drive-in where they watched Grease.
Soon they were the couple everyone on campus knew, even turning up together for the homecoming dance. Today, they have been married for 41 years.
The Best Choice Paul Ever Made
In his book Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, Paul names his marriage to Nevalee—he married her at 21—as the most important decision of his life. He frequently says they grew up together, which helps explain their deep connection: she understands him like few others do, as if he were an open book.
She’s been his steady support through it all. When the Reds traded him to the Yankees in 1992, she stood by him through the upheaval. And when his father died just before a World Series game in 1999, it was her encouragement that helped him take the field and share the moment with his teammates afterward.
When the 2020 season shifted everything to remote work, she adapted quickly—she converted their basement into a DIY broadcast studio so Paul could keep providing Yankees commentary from home. For him, she truly is the best thing that ever happened.
