Mayo Smith
Encyclopedia
Edward Mayo Smith was an American
player, manager
, and scout in Major League Baseball
.
Smith was born in New London, Missouri
, but grew up in Florida
. A left-handed batter who threw right-handed, Smith was a career minor league
outfielder
who spent many seasons in the International League
with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Bisons
. At age 30, he played his only season in the major leagues, hitting .212 with the 1945
Philadelphia Athletics
.
When his playing days ended, Smith became a manager in the farm system of the New York Yankees
in 1949. After rising to the AA Birmingham Barons
of the Southern Association
in 1953-54, Smith was named manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
of the National League
. The Phillies of the mid-1950s had become an aging collection of the 1950
league champion "Whiz Kids" and, despite the heroics of perennial 20-game winner Robin Roberts
, had to struggle to finish at the .500 mark. Smith compiled a 264–281 record in 3½ seasons before his firing on July 22, 1958.
He returned to a National League dugout in 1959
at the helm of the Cincinnati Reds
, but a poor start (35–45 and seventh place) cost him his job and Fred Hutchinson
replaced him at the All-Star break.
Smith then returned to the Yankees, serving as a "super scout" from 1960–66, until the Detroit Tigers
called him back into harness, naming him their manager for 1967
. He nearly won the American League
pennant in his first year in Motown, losing out to the "Impossible Dream" Boston Red Sox
on the last day of the season.
In 1968
, however, the Tigers took no chances: led by 31-game-winner Denny McLain
, they won 103 games and won the pennant by a dozen games. With left-handed starting pitcher Mickey Lolich
winning the second, fifth, and seventh games (and who hit a home run
in Game 2), the Tigers came back from a three-games-to-one deficit to defeat the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals
in the 1968 World Series
, besting the mighty Bob Gibson
in the deciding game.
In the series, Smith made one of the boldest and most talked-about managerial moves in modern baseball history. In this period before the designated hitter, the Tigers had rotated four good hitting outfielders (Al Kaline
, Willie Horton
, Jim Northrup and Mickey Stanley
) for the three positions. Regular shortstop Ray Oyler
, always a light hitter, famously went "0 for August" (Oyler hit .135 for the season). Concerned about his team's offense, Smith inserted Stanley as the starting shortstop. Stanley played creditably in the Series, and although he made two of Detroit's 11 errors, neither of them led to Cardinal runs. He only hit .214 with no RBI for the Series, but the other three outfielders made solid contributions to the Tigers' dramatic victory. Stanley's seven games at shortstop were his 10th through 16th major league appearances at the position, having played Detroit's final nine regular season games at short in preparation for the Series.
That season represented Smith's high-water mark as a manager. The Tigers fell to second place behind the dynastic Baltimore Orioles
in 1969
. Then, in 1970, the team fell to 79–83 in a season marked by the suspension of McLain amid gambling allegations. Immediately after the season, on October 2, 1970, the Tigers fired Smith and replaced him with volatile Billy Martin
. As the Tigers headed for their first losing season since 1963 and their worst record since 1960, Smith had come under increasing criticism from fans and the press as his players quit on him. He finally lashed out after he was fired; sharing one last drink with the Detroit media, he uncharacteristically said “The baseball fans in this town are ignorant. They couldn’t tell a baseball player from a Japanese aviator. And that’s a quote.”http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1850&pid=13266
In all or parts of nine seasons as a manager, Smith compiled a record of 662–612 (.520).
A very successful businessman off the field, Smith then retired from the game and concentrated on ranching and real estate investing
in his home state of Florida
. He died in 1977 in Boynton Beach
after suffering a stroke
.
A Tigers fan club was named the Mayo Smith Society in his memory by its members.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
player, manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, and scout in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Smith was born in New London, Missouri
New London, Missouri
New London is a city in Ralls County, Missouri, United States located at the intersection of US Route 61 and Missouri Route 19. The population was 1,001 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ralls County....
, but grew up in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. A left-handed batter who threw right-handed, Smith was a career minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who spent many seasons in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. At age 30, he played his only season in the major leagues, hitting .212 with the 1945
1945 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Detroit Tigers over Chicago Cubs *All-Star Game cancelled due to flight restrictions. However, inter-league games were played during the All-Star break.-Other champions:...
Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
When his playing days ended, Smith became a manager in the farm system of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1949. After rising to the AA Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
in 1953-54, Smith was named manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. The Phillies of the mid-1950s had become an aging collection of the 1950
1950 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies *All-Star Game, July 11 at Comiskey Park: National League, 4-3 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Carta Vieja *College World Series: Texas...
league champion "Whiz Kids" and, despite the heroics of perennial 20-game winner Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts (baseball player)
Robin Evan Roberts was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who pitched primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies . He spent the latter part of his career with the Baltimore Orioles , Houston Astros , and Chicago Cubs...
, had to struggle to finish at the .500 mark. Smith compiled a 264–281 record in 3½ seasons before his firing on July 22, 1958.
He returned to a National League dugout in 1959
1959 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago White Sox ; Larry Sherry, MVP*All-Star Game , July 7 at Forbes Field: National League, 5-4*All-Star Game , August 3 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American League, 5-3...
at the helm of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, but a poor start (35–45 and seventh place) cost him his job and Fred Hutchinson
Fred Hutchinson
Frederick Charles Hutchinson was an American professional baseball player, a major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He also was a manager for three major league teams...
replaced him at the All-Star break.
Smith then returned to the Yankees, serving as a "super scout" from 1960–66, until the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
called him back into harness, naming him their manager for 1967
1967 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: National League, 2-1 ; Tony Pérez, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
. He nearly won the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant in his first year in Motown, losing out to the "Impossible Dream" Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on the last day of the season.
In 1968
1968 in baseball
-The Year of the Pitcher:In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone beginning in 1963...
, however, the Tigers took no chances: led by 31-game-winner Denny McLain
Denny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
, they won 103 games and won the pennant by a dozen games. With left-handed starting pitcher Mickey Lolich
Mickey Lolich
Michael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
winning the second, fifth, and seventh games (and who hit a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
in Game 2), the Tigers came back from a three-games-to-one deficit to defeat the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 1968 World Series
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, besting the mighty Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
in the deciding game.
In the series, Smith made one of the boldest and most talked-about managerial moves in modern baseball history. In this period before the designated hitter, the Tigers had rotated four good hitting outfielders (Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, Willie Horton
Willie Horton (baseball player)
Willie Wattison Horton is a former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for six American League teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times, and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired...
, Jim Northrup and Mickey Stanley
Mickey Stanley
Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers from 1964-1978. Stanley was known as a superb defensive outfielder over his 15-year career, though he is best remembered for the last few weeks of the 1968 season.-Early life:Stanley prepped at Ottawa Hills High School in...
) for the three positions. Regular shortstop Ray Oyler
Ray Oyler
Raymond Francis Oyler was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Detroit Tigers , Seattle Pilots , and California Angels...
, always a light hitter, famously went "0 for August" (Oyler hit .135 for the season). Concerned about his team's offense, Smith inserted Stanley as the starting shortstop. Stanley played creditably in the Series, and although he made two of Detroit's 11 errors, neither of them led to Cardinal runs. He only hit .214 with no RBI for the Series, but the other three outfielders made solid contributions to the Tigers' dramatic victory. Stanley's seven games at shortstop were his 10th through 16th major league appearances at the position, having played Detroit's final nine regular season games at short in preparation for the Series.
That season represented Smith's high-water mark as a manager. The Tigers fell to second place behind the dynastic Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
. Then, in 1970, the team fell to 79–83 in a season marked by the suspension of McLain amid gambling allegations. Immediately after the season, on October 2, 1970, the Tigers fired Smith and replaced him with volatile Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
. As the Tigers headed for their first losing season since 1963 and their worst record since 1960, Smith had come under increasing criticism from fans and the press as his players quit on him. He finally lashed out after he was fired; sharing one last drink with the Detroit media, he uncharacteristically said “The baseball fans in this town are ignorant. They couldn’t tell a baseball player from a Japanese aviator. And that’s a quote.”http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1850&pid=13266
In all or parts of nine seasons as a manager, Smith compiled a record of 662–612 (.520).
A very successful businessman off the field, Smith then retired from the game and concentrated on ranching and real estate investing
Real estate investing
Real estate investing involves the purchase, ownership, management, rental and/or sale of real estate for profit. Improvement of realty property as part of a real estate investment strategy is generally considered to be a sub-specialty of real estate investing called real estate development...
in his home state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He died in 1977 in Boynton Beach
Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
after suffering a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
.
A Tigers fan club was named the Mayo Smith Society in his memory by its members.