Willie Smith (outfielder)
Encyclopedia
Willie Smith was a left-handed pitcher
for the Detroit Tigers
(1963), and, after he converted to outfielder
at the Major League Baseball
level, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels
/California Angels
(1964-66), Cleveland Indians
(1967-68), Chicago Cubs
(1968-70) and Cincinnati Reds
(1971). He also played two seasons in Japan for the Nankai Hawks
(1972-73). He threw and batted left-handed and was born in Anniston, Alabama
.
Smith was a highly-regarded pitching prospect in the Detroit farm system. In 1963, playing for the AAA Syracuse Chiefs, he led the International League
in winning percentage (.875) with a 14-2 won/loss mark, and posted a 2.11 earned run average
. He also batted
.380 (30 hits
in 79 at bats), with one home run
and 13 runs batted in. Smith was still plying his trade on the mound when he was swapped to the Angels for Julio Navarro
on April 28, 1964. He had compiled a 1-4 record with an earned run average of 2.84 with the Angels in 33⅔ innings pitched when Halo manager Bill Rigney
shifted Smith to the outfield to get his bat in the lineup on a daily basis. Smith responded by hitting .301 that season
(his career-best batting average) with 11 home runs and 51 RBI.
In nine seasons he played in 691 Games and had 1,654 At Bats, 171 Runs, 410 Hits, 63 Doubles, 21 Triples, 46 Home Runs, 211 RBI, 20 Stolen Bases, 107 Walks, .248 Batting Average, .295 On-base percentage, .395 Slugging Percentage, 653 Total Bases, 9 Sacrifice Hits, 15 Sacrifice Flies and 20 Intentional Walks. His record as a pitcher was 2-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 29 games and 61 innings spread over three MLB seasons.
He died of an apparent heart attack
in his hometown at the age of 66.
Willie Smith is perhaps best remembered by Chicago baseball fans for his dramatic extra inning walk-off home run at Wrigley Field on Opening Day, April 8, 1969, resulting in a Cub win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for 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...
(1963), and, after he converted to 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...
at the 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...
level, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
/California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1964-66), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1967-68), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1968-70) and 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....
(1971). He also played two seasons in Japan for the Nankai Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
(1972-73). He threw and batted left-handed and was born in Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
.
Smith was a highly-regarded pitching prospect in the Detroit farm system. In 1963, playing for the AAA Syracuse Chiefs, he led 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...
in winning percentage (.875) with a 14-2 won/loss mark, and posted a 2.11 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. He also batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.380 (30 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 79 at bats), with one 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...
and 13 runs batted in. Smith was still plying his trade on the mound when he was swapped to the Angels for Julio Navarro
Julio Navarro
Julio Navarro Ventura is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played for the Los Angeles Angels , Detroit Tigers , and Atlanta Braves ....
on April 28, 1964. He had compiled a 1-4 record with an earned run average of 2.84 with the Angels in 33⅔ innings pitched when Halo manager Bill Rigney
Bill Rigney
William Joseph Rigney was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. A native of Alameda, California, he batted and threw right-handed....
shifted Smith to the outfield to get his bat in the lineup on a daily basis. Smith responded by hitting .301 that season
1964 Los Angeles Angels season
The Los Angeles Angels season involved the Angels finishing fifth in the American League with a record of 82 wins and 80 losses, 17 games behind the AL Champion New York Yankees.- Offseason :...
(his career-best batting average) with 11 home runs and 51 RBI.
In nine seasons he played in 691 Games and had 1,654 At Bats, 171 Runs, 410 Hits, 63 Doubles, 21 Triples, 46 Home Runs, 211 RBI, 20 Stolen Bases, 107 Walks, .248 Batting Average, .295 On-base percentage, .395 Slugging Percentage, 653 Total Bases, 9 Sacrifice Hits, 15 Sacrifice Flies and 20 Intentional Walks. His record as a pitcher was 2-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 29 games and 61 innings spread over three MLB seasons.
He died of an apparent heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in his hometown at the age of 66.
Willie Smith is perhaps best remembered by Chicago baseball fans for his dramatic extra inning walk-off home run at Wrigley Field on Opening Day, April 8, 1969, resulting in a Cub win over the Philadelphia Phillies.