Reggie Smith
A five-tool player with the Red Sox, Reggie Smith was one of the first African American superstars in Boston. A switch-hitter with power and speed, Smith batted .300, hit 30 homers, stole 20 bases, and won a Gold Glove for the Red Sox. But he was traded to the Cardinals after the 1973 season, and spent the remainder of his career in the National League. As he matured, the quiet Smith evolved into a power hitter, belting 32 homers for the 1977 pennant-winning Dodgers, and 29 more the next year when they repeated. By the time he was part of a World Series winner, in 1981, he was injured and near the end of his career. Though he never received much of the acclaim he should have, Smith was an All-Star for three different teams, and was well respected by his teammates.
Quotes From Smith
"I'll try to hit a home run, but only in a certain situation, when a home run is in order. I'll try to get an extra-base hit when it's in order. And I'll hit into a double play, and give up an at-bat, if that's what it takes to score a run. I'll take a walk - anything - if it'll help us win."
"I've never been one who cared about a lot of praise. I guess it's nice, but really, I don't concern myself with what people say about Reggie Smith."
Played For
Boston Red Sox (1966-1973)
St. Louis Cardinals (1974-1976)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-1981)
San Francisco Giants (1982)
All-Time Rankings
Reggie Smith ranks #15 among the Top 50 all-time at RF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1977
Though Steve Garvey and the pitching staff received much of the attention for the 1970s Dodgers, Reggie Smith was the most effective offensive performer for the 1977-1978 clubs. In '77, he joined three other Dodgers (Garvey, Ron Cey, and Dusty Baker) as the first quartet in NL history to all hit 30 homers. Helped in large part by his 104 walks and .307 average, Smith scored 104 runs in 148 games, with a .576 slugging percentage. In the World Series, he tried his best to keep up with that other Reggie (Jackson) - hitting three homers in the six games.
Born
Carl Reginald Smith was born on April 2, 1945, in Shreveport, LA.
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: BOS
Major League Debut
September 18, 1966
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1966
George Scott
Sal Bando
Reggie Smith
Rick Monday
Nolan Ryan
Don Sutton
Bob Watson
Nate Colbert
Stan Bahnsen
Related Players
Smith credited Dick Williams, for whom he played in Boston, with making him a complete ballplayer.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1988 |
BBWAA |
3 |
.7% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1967 World Series
1977 National League Championship Series
1977 World Series
1978 National League Championship Series
1978 World Series
1981 National League Championship Series
1981 National League Division Playoffs
1981 World Series
Awards and Honors
1968 AL Gold Glove
Batting Feats
- August 20, 1967: Switch HR same game...
- August 11, 1968: Switch HR same game...
- July 2, 1972: Switch HR same game...
- April 16, 1973: Switch HR same game...
- May 4, 1975: Switch HR same game...
- May 22, 1976: Switch HR same game...
Notes
Smith started the 1980 season with an 11-game hitting streak, and ended May with a 12-game streak. He was hitting .335 in early June and had already surpassed his homer and RBI totals of the previous season.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Smith had a trying year in 1979. Just after the All-Star break he collided with Dusty Baker while chasing a fly ball and missed several weeks. He complained of ankle pain all season, but it took six weeks for the Dodgers' training staff to figure out what was wrong. He had a seven-inch tear in the membrane of his right ankle. The injury could only get better through rest, and he'd been playing on it all season. As he played, some of his teammates blamed him for the team's struggles. Finally, Smith called a clubhouse meeting and cleared the air. he felt he was being unfairly blamed for the team's difficult season. The ankle took six months to mend, and he was ready and recharged for the 1980 season. He had hit just 10 homers with 32 RBI in '79... Underwent shoulder surgery in the 1976 off-season.
Hitting Streaks
19 games (1969)
15 games (1968)
15 games (1970)
Transactions
Smith was acquired by the Dodgers from the Cardinals minutes before the June 15th trade deadline in 1976.
All-Star Selections
1969 AL
1972 AL
1974 NL
1975 NL
1977 NL
1978 NL
1980 NL
Learn More about Reggie Smith
Search Amazon.com for Books about Reggie Smith ⇒
Search for Reggie Smith at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
