Ozzie Smith
Defying critics who said he was too small and would never hit enough to stay in the big leagues, Ozzie Smith soared through the infield with his acrobatic moves, redefining the role of shortstop. He won 13 consecutive Gold Gloves and set a major league record for assists by a shortstop. Dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals early in his career, Smith became one of the most popular players in franchise history. A switch-hitter, Ozzie blasted one of his few home runs from the left side of the plate to win the 1985 National League pennant. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2002, his first year of eligibility.
Played For
San Diego Padres (1978-1981)
St. Louis Cardinals (1982-1996)
All-Time Rankings
Ozzie Smith ranks #19 among the Top 50 all-time at SS. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1980
In 1980 with the Padres, Ozzie set a major league record with 621 assists. He led the league in nearly every defensive category for shortstops. His range factor (number of balls he reached per game played) of 5.75 was well above the league average of 4.30. On the basepaths he set a career high with 57 steals.
Born
Osborne Earl Smith was born on December 26, 1954, in Mobile, AL.
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Primary Position: SS
Primary Team: SLN
College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Major League Debut
April 7, 1978
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1978
Paul Molitor
Ozzie Smith
Carney Lansford
Pedro Guerrero
Danny Darwin
Mike Morgan
Dave Stewart
Terry Kennedy
Ron Oester
Similar Players
Luis Aparicio, Ozzie Guillen, Omar Vizquel
Related Players
Garry Templeton, Royce Clayton, Tom Niedenfuer, Alan Trammell
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 2002 |
BBWAA |
433 |
91.7% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1982 National League Championship Series
1982 World Series
1985 National League Championship Series
1985 World Series
1987 National League Championship Series
1987 World Series
1996 National League Championship Series
1996 National League Divisional Series
Awards and Honors
1980 NL Gold Glove
1981 NL Gold Glove
1982 NL Gold Glove
1983 NL Gold Glove
1984 NL Gold Glove
1985 NL Gold Glove
1985 NL NLCS MVP
1986 NL Gold Glove
1987 NL Gold Glove
1988 NL Gold Glove
1989 NL Gold Glove
1990 NL Gold Glove
1991 NL Gold Glove
1992 NL Gold Glove
All-Star Selections
1981 NL
1982 NL
1983 NL
1984 NL
1985 NL
1986 NL
1987 NL
1988 NL
1989 NL
1990 NL
1991 NL
1992 NL
1994 NL
1995 NL
1996 NL
Best Strength as a Player
Defensive range, throwing arm, acrobatic moves, and atleticism in the field.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Hitting for power and getting on base.
Learn More about Ozzie Smith
Search Amazon.com for Books about Ozzie Smith ⇒
Search for Ozzie Smith at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
