Al Smith (outfielder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al Smith |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 7, 1928 Kirkwood, Missouri |
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| Died: January 3, 2002 (aged 73) Hammond, Indiana |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NgL: 1946, for the Cleveland Buckeyes | |||
| MLB: July 10, 1953, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1964, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 168 | ||
| Runs batted in | 697 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Alphonse Eugene Smith (born February 7, 1928 – died January 3, 2002) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He was an outfielder, meaning he played in the outfield, and sometimes a third baseman. Al Smith played for 12 seasons. His teams included the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox. In 2003, he was named one of the "100 Greatest Indians."
Smith was chosen as an All-Star three times. In 1955, he had a great season. He hit for a .306 batting average. This means he got a hit about 30.6% of the times he tried. He also led the American League (AL) in four important areas. These included playing in 154 games played, having 725 plate appearances, getting on base 294 times, and scoring 123 runs. In 1993, Al Smith was honored in the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Talents
Al Smith was born in Kirkwood, Missouri. His friends called him "Fuzzy" when he was a teenager. This was because he was the first among them to grow a beard. He went to Douglass High School in Webster Groves.
Smith was a talented athlete in high school. He was a star in American football. In one game, he scored ten touchdowns! He was also a champion boxinger. He won a special award called Golden Gloves.
Al Smith's Baseball Career
Al Smith had a strong baseball career. His lifetime batting average was .272. He made 1,458 hits and hit 164 home runs. He also had 676 RBIs, which means he helped his teammates score runs. Smith was also good at fielding, with a .959 average. This shows he was good at catching and throwing the ball.
He was a smart hitter. In 1955, his best season, he had a .407 on-base percentage. This means he got on base almost 41% of the time. During his 12 years in the league, he played six different positions.
Smith started his professional baseball journey in 1946. He played in the Negro leagues for the Cleveland Buckeyes. He joined the Cleveland Indians in 1949. His first major league game was with the Indians in 1953. He was known as an excellent left fielder. He was chosen for the All-Star team twice, in 1955 and 1960. Two All-Star Games were played in 1960.
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
In 1954, Al Smith became an everyday player for the Cleveland Indians. That year, the Indians won 111 games. This was a record for the American League at the time. Smith usually batted first in the lineup. He had a .281 batting average. He also scored 101 runs, got 186 hits, hit 11 home runs, and had 59 RBIs.
Smith started the 1954 World Series with a bang. He hit a home run in his very first turn at bat against the New York Giants. In 1955, he continued to play well. He hit .306 with 22 home runs and 77 RBIs.
Time with the Chicago White Sox
In December 1957, the Cleveland Indians traded Smith. He went to the Chicago White Sox along with Early Wynn. In return, the Indians got Minnie Miñoso and Fred Hatfield. Many White Sox fans were not happy about this trade. Miñoso was a very popular player in Chicago.
Smith's performance was not as good in 1958. The White Sox owner, Bill Veeck, decided to have an "Al Smith Night" in 1959. On August 26, anyone named Smith, Smythe, Schmidt, or Smithe got in free. They also received a button that said, "I'm a Smith and I'm for Al." On his special night, Smith got one hit in four tries. He also made an error on a fly ball. Even with this, the White Sox won their first American League pennant in 40 years that season.
One of the most famous moments in baseball history happened to Al Smith. It was during the 1959 World Series. In Game 2, Smith was chasing a long ball hit by Charlie Neal of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As Smith watched the ball go into the stands for a home run, a fan accidentally spilled beer on his head. This moment was captured in a famous photograph. Smith later said he signed that picture about 200,000 times!
In 1960, Smith played very well. He hit a career-high .315 and was named an All-Star. In 1961, he hit a career-high 28 home runs. He led the White Sox in home runs that year. In 1962, he hit .292 and again led the team with 16 home runs. After that season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Final Seasons Playing Baseball
Before the 1963 season, Smith was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He went with Luis Aparicio. In return, the White Sox received Hoyt Wilhelm, Dave Nicholson, Pete Ward, and Ron Hansen. Smith's last season in Major League Baseball was in 1964. He played for both the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox that year.
After His Playing Days
After his baseball career, Al Smith helped manage baseball programs. From 1966 to 1981, he worked for the Chicago park district. He also supervised recreation at Ogden Park, Illinois. Smith worked part-time for the Chicago White Sox in community relations. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 73 in Hammond, Indiana.
See also
- List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
Images for kids
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Al Smith's baseball card image.
