Reggie Smith
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Carl Reginald Smith (born April 2, 1945 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career (1967-1982), Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw righthanded. In his prime, he had one of the strongest throwing arms of any outfielder in the big leagues. Smith played at least 70 games in 13 different seasons, and in every one of those 13 seasons, his team had a winning record.
Smith grew up in Los Angeles, California. He won the International League batting title in 1966 with a .320 average while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was called up to the major leagues the next season and played for the Boston Red Sox (1967-73), St. Louis Cardinals (1974-76), Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-81) and San Francisco Giants (1982). Smith appeared in four World Series, including during his rookie 1967 season for the Red Sox, and three (1977, 1978 and 1981) for the Dodgers. He hit three home runs in the 1977 series.
In the 1978 season, Dodger pitcher Don Sutton went public with comments that Smith was a more valuable player to the Dodgers than the more-celebrated Steve Garvey. This led to an infamous clubhouse wrestling match between Sutton and Garvey.
In the 1981 season as a member of the Dodgers, Smith was taunted by Giants fan Michael Dooley, who then threw a batting helmet at him. Smith then jumped into the stands at Candlestick Park and started punching him. He was ejected from the game, and Dooley was arrested. Five months later, Smith joined the Giants as a free agent.
After his playing career ended, Smith rejoined the Dodgers, where he served as a coach under Tommy Lasorda, a minor league instructor and a player development official. Smith also served as hitting coach for Team USA during the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
[edit] Trivia
Smith was born on the same date as former Dodger teammate Don Sutton.
[edit] See also
[edit] External link
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
Categories: Major league players from Louisiana | American League All-Stars | National League All-Stars | Boston Red Sox players | Los Angeles Dodgers players | San Francisco Giants players | St. Louis Cardinals players | Yomiuri Giants players | Major league center fielders | Major league right fielders | Gold Glove Award winners | Toronto Maple Leafs (minor league baseball) players | Non-Japanese baseball players in Japan | 1945 births | Living people
