Skyrocket Smith

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Samuel J. "Skyrocket" Smith (March 19, 1868 - April 26, 1916) was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He played for the Louisville Colonels of the American Association during the first half of the 1888 season (April 18-July 8). The 20-year-old rookie stood 6'2" and weighed 170 lbs.

As the regular first baseman for 58 games Smith hit .239 (49-for-206), but 24 bases on balls and 11 hit by pitches (# 9 in the league) pushed his on base percentage up to .349. He hit 1 home run, had 31 runs batted in, scored 27 runs, and had five stolen bases. He was average defensively for his era, with a fielding percentage of .970. The Colonels had a record of 21-40 (.344) at the time of Smith's departure, and were 27-47 (.365) afterwards.

He died in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 48.