Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish grew up on Holland Field, Tribe Park in Oklahoma City. He helped with the grounds crew, hung scores on the scoreboard, and shagged balls in the outfield. Cal never played organized baseball until the Brooklyn Dodgers picked him up in 1944. After serving in World War II, McLish went back to baseball. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs from 1947 to 1951. After a four year stint in the Pacific Coast League, McLish joined the Cleveland Indians.

Cal had his best years with Cleveland. He finished 1958 with 16 wins and eight looses, and 1959 with 19 wins and eight looses, and pitched in the 1959 All-Star game. During his run with the Indians McLish set the major league record for continued road wins with 16, a record that stood until Greg Maddux broke it in 1995. He also had a stretch with Cleveland where he completed 26 of his 62 starts.

Cleveland traded Cal to the Cincinnati Reds in 1959. He played for the Reds until 1961 when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He ended his professional baseball career in 1964 with the Philadelphia Phillies after suffering a rotator cuff injury. Following his playing career he was a major league pitching coach.