Edward Mayo "Catfish"
Smith (January 17, 1915 – November 24, 1977) was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
player,
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
, and
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
**Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
**Scouts BSA, sectio ...
who played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
. Smith had a 39-year baseball career from to . He is also the namesake of the "Mayo Smith Society", the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
international fan club that awards the "King Tiger Award," each year.
Smith served as the manager of the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
(–),
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
(), and
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
(–), compiling a managerial record of 662–612 (). He received
The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
The ''Sporting News'' Manager of the Year Award was established in 1936 by ''The Sporting News'' and was given annually to one manager in Major League Baseball. In 1986 it was expanded to honor one manager from each league. In 2021 the winners we ...
in after the Tigers won the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) pennant by 12 games with a record of 103–59 () and defeated the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
in the
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1968 Major League Baseball season, 1968 season. The 65th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between American League (AL) ch ...
.
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
has ranked Smith's decision to move
Mickey Stanley
Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley (born July 20, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stanley signed with the Detroit Tigers organization in 1960. After four years in the Tigers' minor leagu ...
to
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
for the 1968 World Series as the third "gutsiest call" in sports history.
Smith also played professional baseball for 18 seasons from 1933 to , including one season in MLB, with the 1945 Philadelphia Athletics. He spent his most productive years in the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
playing for the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
(–) and
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
(–) and in the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
with the
Portland Beavers
The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL.
Franchise history
Many baseball teams ...
(–). Smith also spent 13 years in the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
organization as a minor league manager from to and as a "super scout" and "trouble shooter" from to .
Early years
Smith was born on January 17, 1915, at
New London, Missouri
New London is a city in Ralls County, Missouri, United States. The population was 943 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ralls County.
New London is part of the Hannibal Micropolitan Statistical Area. William Jameson, claimed land, ma ...
, a small town located south of
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...
and northwest of
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
.
[ He was the only child of George Frederick Smith and Eval Smith. His middle name, "Mayo", was reportedly bestowed by his grandmother, who had been a patient at the ]Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
and "liked the name." In 1920, the family lived in Saverton Township, Ralls County, Missouri, where George Frederick was a farmer.
In 1926, at age 11, Smith moved with his family to Lake Worth in Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
. In Florida, Smith's father was employed as a butcher or "meat cutter" in a meat market, and his mother was employed as a sales lady in a "dry goods
Dry goods is a historic term describing the type of product line a store carries, which differs by region. The term comes from the textile trade, and the shops appear to have spread with the mercantile trade across the British Empire (and forme ...
" store.[
Smith attended ]Lake Worth High School
Lake Worth Community High School is a public high school located in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Established in 1922 as Lake Worth High School, it is currently one of Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County's largest schools.
The Palm Beach ...
where he was the captain of the football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
teams and the class president in his sophomore and senior years. He graduated from high school in 1932 and was selected as the "outstanding boy student" in Palm Beach County.
Because Smith's high school did not have a baseball team, he played as a third baseman for a semi-pro Elks team in the Palm Beach County League. According to another source, Smith was a member of the Carl Vogel Post 47, Junior Legion All-Stars in 1929.[ In any event, Smith was forced to stop playing semi-pro baseball after school officials threatened to expel him if he continued.][
Smith was also an outstanding golfer and billiards player, playing professional billiards at age 16. He played in several exhibitions against ]Ralph Greenleaf
Ralph Greenleaf (November 3, 1899 in Monmouth, Illinois – March 15, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American professional pool and carom billiards player. He was a 19 time World Pocket Billiards Champion, who dominated the sport duri ...
and William Hoppe, the billiards champions of the 1920s and 1930s.[ During his youth, he reportedly picked up extra cash as a pool hustler.] While playing professional baseball in Buffalo in the 1940s, a local radio broadcaster challenged Smith to a game of billiards. On his first turn, Smith "broke up the rack and ran 28 points."
Playing career
Toronto Maple Leafs
In 1933, at age 18, Smith signed with the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
of the International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
. He was discovered by Toronto manager Dan Howley, who spent his winters in Palm Beach. Howley assigned Sam Rice
Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice (February 20, 1890 – October 13, 1974) was an American pitcher and outfielder in Major League Baseball. Although Rice made his debut as a relief pitcher, he is best known as an outfielder. Playing for the Washington Se ...
, a veteran outfielder and future Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
inductee, to train Smith as an outfielder. Smith recalled, "After that, I was more an outfielder than third baseman." Smith managed only three hits in 29 at bats
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
for Toronto during the 1933 season.[
In 1934, Smith was assigned to the Class B ]Wilmington Pirates
The Wilmington Pirates were a minor league baseball team located in Wilmington, North Carolina. From 1928 to 1929, they played in the Class D Eastern Carolina League. From 1932 to 1935, they played in the Class B Piedmont League. From 1946 to 1950 ...
of the Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.
Teams
The following teams were members of the Piedmon ...
. He played the entire 1934 season for Wilmington, though he was called up by the Maple Leafs in September 1934.[
In 1935, Smith appeared briefly with the Maple Leafs, having two hits in 11 at bats. He spent most of the 1935 season with Wilmington. He compiled a .315 ]batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
with 102 total bases in 254 at bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
s at Wilmington,[ but his 1935 season was cut short by illness.][
In February 1936, Smith reported to the Maple Leafs' training camp in ]Haines City
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan S ...
, Florida, making his fourth attempt to win a full-time berth with the team. He did not make the roster and was sent back to the Piedmont League for the 1936 season. The Wilmington Pirates had moved to Durham, North Carolina
Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...
, and Smith thus spent the 1936 season with the Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...
, batting .217 in 66 games.[
In the spring of 1937, at age 22, Smith finally earned a full-time spot on the Maple Leafs' roster. He became one of the team's starting outfielders and performed well until injuring his leg. At the end of the 1937 season, ''The Sporting News'' praised his performance: "The outfield, one of the best in the league last season, needs little improvement. Mayo Smith came along in great style and should be ready for a fine season in 1938. He was hitting the ball and making great defensive plays when, unfortunately, a leg injury took him out of the line-up for several weeks."
He continued as a starting outfielder for the Maple Leafs in 1938 and 1939. In 1939, he played on a Maple Leafs team that included future ]Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
inductees Heinie Manush
Henry Emmett Manush (July 20, 1901 – May 12, 1971), nicknamed "Heinie", was an American baseball outfielder. He played professional baseball for 20 years from 1920 to 1939, including 17 years in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers (1 ...
and Tony Lazzeri
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leag ...
. Smith compiled a .286 batting average in 1939, 45 points higher than Manush and 59 points higher than Lazzeri. During the 1939 season, Smith also had 196 total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, while ...
in 148 games and a career-high 385 putout
In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by ''PO'' or ''fly out'' when appropriate) is awarded to a defensive player who (generally while in secure possession of the ball) records an out by one of the following methods:
* Tagging a runner wit ...
s and 13 assist
Assist or ASSIST may refer to:
Sports
Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team:
*Assist (basketball), a pass by a player that facilitates a ba ...
s.[ In July 1939, ''The Sporting News'' described Smith as "the most improved player of the season" and reported that his "defensive work is nothing short of sensational."
]
Buffalo Bisons
In December 1939, Smith was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
, the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
farm team in the International League, in exchange for outfielder Johnnie Tyler
John Anthony Tyler (July 30, 1906 in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania – July 11, 1972 in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania) was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the fie ...
.[ Buffalo manager ]Steve O'Neill
Stephen Francis O'Neill (July 6, 1891 – January 26, 1962) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, most notably with the Cleveland Indians. As a manager, he led the Detroit Tig ...
later called the trade "the best deal I made in my three years in Buffalo and one of the best of my career."[ Smith played five seasons, principally as a center fielder, with the Bisons from 1940 to 1944.][ In 1998, 54 years after he concluded his playing career with the Bisons, Smith was posthumously inducted into the ]Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame
The Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame was started by the Buffalo Bisons organization in 1985 to honor former members of the Buffalo Bisons (1878, 1887–1888), Buffalo Bisons (1879–1885), Buffalo Bisons (1886–1970), Buffalo Bisons (1890), Buffalo ...
.
Promptly upon joining the Bisons, Smith impressed observers with his defensive play. In April 1940, during a Florida exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, Smith made a catch that Buffalo sports writer Cy Kritzer later called the greatest catch he had ever seen, including "The Catch The Catch may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Catch'' (U.S. TV series), 2016-2017 American mystery television series
* ''The Catch'' (UK TV series), 2023 British family drama television series
* ''The Catch'' (1961 film), 1961 film by Nagisa ...
" made by Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
in 1954. With the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin Greenberg (born Hyman Greenberg; January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", or "The Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major Leagu ...
hit the ball better than 475 feet into dead center. According to Kritzer, "Smith turned his back to home plate and dashed straight for the fence. No one gave him a chance to catch the ball. But in the last stride, he leaped and the ball stuck in the web."[ Bucky Harris, who managed Smith in Buffalo, later said, "My idea of a perfect game would be to have the opposition hit 27 balls into center field . . . with Mayo Smith out there."
In 1941, Smith hit a walk-off, three-run home run with two out in the bottom of the tenth inning. The Bisons' business manager John Stiglmeier leaped over the rail from his box and ran onto the field to slap Smith on the back when he completed his home-run trot. Smith noted that the slap "actually knocked the wind clean plumb out of me."
On March 25, 1942, 600 residents of Smith's home town of Lake Worth, Florida celebrated "Mayo Smith Day." The Bisons played a spring training game in Lake Worth that day. In a 2–1 loss to the Columbus Red Birds, Smith drove in the Bisons' only run with a single in the eighth inning. Smith went on to have one of his most successful seasons in 1942. He appeared in a career-high 154 games, hit 11 home runs, and compiled a .279 batting average and a .386 on-base percentage. Playing principally in center field, he also had 384 putouts and 13 assists.][
After playing in every game for the Bisons in 1942, Smith suffered an injury at the end of spring training in 1943. Smith returned to the line-up and appeared in 136 games in the outfield.][ However, he suffered sustained trouble with the arches in his feet throughout the 1943 season, leading some to speculate that he was "washed up."][ Smith attributed the trouble to a job working 12 hours a day on cement floors in a war plant during the 1942–43 off-season. After the 1943 season, Smith tried to stay off his feet as much as possible and soaked his feet each night in solutions prepared by the Buffalo trainer.] His wife, Louise, told a reporter, "Mayo eats all his meals with his feet in a tub of water."[
In 1944, Smith rebounded from his injuries and had his best season in professional baseball. In May and June 1944, he had separate streaks in which he reached base in 14 and 13 consecutive plate appearances. The latter streak included nine consecutive hits.] Smith also won praise in 1944 for his baseball intelligence and as a player who "never made a mistake or missed a signal."[ In August 1944, Syracuse manager Jewel Ens said: "Smith is the miracle man of the 1944 season. . . . He's the best hit-and-run man in the league. He's a great hustler and a fine all-around player, and you can say one more thing, he's a credit to the game."][
At the end of the 1944 season, Smith had compiled a career-high .340 batting average (.495 on-base percentage), won the International League batting title,][ led the league with 149 walks, and compiled 232 total bases, 42 ]extra base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...
s and 12 stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
s in 150 games.[ He was unanimously selected to the International League All-Star team and finished second behind ]Howard Moss
Howard Moss (January 22, 1922 – September 16, 1987) was an American poet, dramatist and critic. He was poetry editor of ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1948 until his death and he won the National Book Award in 1972 for ''Selected Poems''.
B ...
in voting for the International League Most Valuable Player award.
Philadelphia Athletics
On November 1, 1944, following his breakout season with the Bisons, Smith was selected by Connie Mack
Cornelius McGillicuddy (December 22, 1862 – February 8, 1956), better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds untoucha ...
of the Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
in the Rule 5 draft. However, Smith's opportunity to play in the big leagues was delayed by illness. In February 1945, Smith contracted rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a streptococcal throat infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, multiple painful jo ...
and was taken to Buffalo General Hospital by ambulance. He was hospitalized for three weeks and lost 20 pounds as the ailment settled into his arms and shoulders. In March 1945, ''The Sporting News'' reported that Smith would remain "flat on his back" for six more weeks and that he had given up hope of playing baseball in 1945. Smith said that he intended to return to his home in Florida as soon as he was well enough to walk.
Smith was advised by doctors to remain out of baseball in 1945, but by the end of May 1945, he began working out with the Bisons. He joined the Athletics in mid-June and made his Major League Baseball debut at age 30 on June 24, 1945. He appeared in 73 games with the 1945 Philadelphia Athletics and became the team's starting left fielder for the last part of the season. The 1945 Athletics finished in last place in the American League and compiled a 52–98 () record. Smith compiled a .212 batting average and a .333 on-base percentage.
Portland Beavers
In December 1945, the Athletics traded Smith and Steve Gerkin to the Triple A Portland Beavers
The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL.
Franchise history
Many baseball teams ...
of the Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
in exchange for Wandel B. "Lefty" Mossor. Smith played for the Beavers for three years from 1946 to 1948.[
In 1946, Smith led the Beavers in putouts by an outfielder with 298 in 122 games. Although his batting average was .249, his propensity to draw walks boosted his on-base percentage to .341.
In 1947, Smith hit .311 and drew 79 walks for a .418 on-base percentage. He also had 30 doubles and five home runs and again led the team in putouts by an outfielder with 272 in 128 games. On August 5, 1947, Smith hit an inside-the-park home run in the 11th inning to give the Beavers a victory over the Oakland Oaks.
In May 1948, Smith was still living in the Portland area when his family was caught in the Vanport Flood. After a dike collapsed, ]Vanport City, Oregon
Vanport, sometimes referred to as Vanport City or Kaiserville, was a city of wartime public housing in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States, between the contemporary Portland city boundary and the Columbia River. It was destroyed in the 194 ...
was deluged. Smith lost his automobile and personal belongings as his home was covered under 15 to 18 feet of water. His wife and six-year-old daughter narrowly escaped from the floodwaters by climbing to the roofs of four different buildings before being rescued.
Managerial career
Yankees' farm system
For six years from 1949 to 1954, Smith served as a manager, and in some cases player-manager, in the farm system
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
of the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. He served as a player-manager of the Class C Amsterdam Rugmakers The Amsterdam Rugmakers were a Canadian–American League baseball team based in Amsterdam, New York, USA, that played from 1938 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1951. They played their home games at Mohawk Mills Park (now Shuttleworth Park) and were affi ...
of the Canadian–American League
The Canadian–American League, nicknamed the Can-Am League, was a class C level minor league baseball circuit which ran from 1936 through 1951, with a three-year break during World War II.
Teams
*Amsterdam Rugmakers, 1938–1942, 1946–19 ...
from 1949 to 1950.[ In his first month with the Rugmakers, Smith hit six home runs, including three that sailed over the 310-foot right field fence at Amsterdam's Mohawk Mills Park during a double-header against Three Rivers. He totalled a career-high 19 home runs in 1949,][ also adding 116 RBIs in 119 games. His Amsterdam teams finished in fifth and fourth place in the Canadian–American League.
In December 1950, he was promoted to Class B as the manager of the ]Norfolk Tars The Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the ...
of the Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.
Teams
The following teams were members of the Piedmon ...
. Smith served as the Tars manager in 1951 and 1952 and led the team to Piedmont League pennants both years. His 1952 Norfolk team compiled a 96–36 () record.[ Noting that the 1952 team included ]Bill Skowron
William Joseph Skowron (December 18, 1930 – April 27, 2012), nicknamed "Moose", was an American professional baseball first baseman. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1954 to 1967 for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dod ...
, Bill Virdon
William Charles Virdon (June 9, 1931 – November 23, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Virdon played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 t ...
, Johnny Kucks
John Charles Kucks (July 27, 1932 – October 31, 2013) was a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in Major League Baseball. In 1952, he was signed as an amateur free agent. Johnny Kucks won the final game of the 1956 World ...
and Gus Triandos
Gus Triandos (July 30, 1930 – March 28, 2013) was a Greek American professional baseball player and scout (sport), scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and the D ...
, Smith later recalled: "Manage a team like that? Shucks, I could go fishing."
In December 1952, based on the strength of his performance in Norfolk, the Yankees promoted Smith to the Double-A 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 and plays at Regions Field in downtown Birmingham. The current ...
of the 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 (1902–1935), Cl ...
. He was the Barons' manager from 1953 to 1954.
Philadelphia Phillies
In October 1954, at age 39, Smith was named manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, replacing Terry Moore. Phillies general manager Roy Hamey
Henry Roy Hamey (June 9, 1902 – December 14, 1983) was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). A longtime employee of the New York Yankees, he was appointed the club's general manager in November 1960. Inheriting a ...
made the announcement and introduced Smith at a press conference in the Warwick Hotel. ''The Sporting News'' described the reaction to the Phillies' hiring of an unknown minor league manager:" ameygrabbed a microphone which was convenient and said, 'This is Mayo Smith, the new manager of the Phillies.' ... For at least one minute there was an embarrassing silence. Still no one knew who he was. To say that the gathering was surprised was the greatest understatement of the year. Fifty men were speechless. They had more or less expected a new manager, a Lefty O'Doul
Francis Joseph "Lefty" O'Doul (March 4, 1897 – December 7, 1969) was an American Major League Baseball player who went on to become an extraordinarily successful manager in the minor leagues. He was also a vital figure in the establishmen ...
, a Lou Boudreau
Louis Boudreau (July 17, 1917 – August 10, 2001), nicknamed "Old Shufflefoot", "Handsome Lou", and "The Good Kid", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons, primarily as a ...
or a Skeeter Newsome
Lamar Ashby "Skeeter" Newsome (October 18, 1910 — August 31, 1989) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1935–39), Boston Red Sox (1941–45) and Philadelphia Phillies (1946–47).
Bo ...
. But Mayo Smith ... who is he?"
Despite the "loud guffaws" among the Philadelphia press,[ Yankees manager ]Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, the expansion New York ...
endorsed the hiring of Smith, saying:"Mayo will make good. He is one of the coming young managers in baseball. I watched him closely in my advance camps, and he was the one manager in the Yankee chain who asked questions, who wanted to know why I liked things done this way and not that way. He never intimated that he knew all the answers. He kept notes, and he learned."
Red Smith described the relatively unknown Smith at the time: "He is tall and rangy, with graying brown hair and young, pleasant features smoothly tanned. There are crinkly lines of laughter around his blue eyes."
After winning the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
pennant in 1950 (the year of the " Whiz Kids"), the Phillies had dropped into the middle of the National League, compiling a losing record in 1954. Smith became the team's fourth manager in three years. In Smith's first year with the Phillies, the team started poorly, dropping to 11 games below .500. The team rallied in the second half of the season and finished in fourth place with a 77–77 record, including 23 wins by pitcher Robin Roberts. At the end of the season, Smith received 30 of 99 votes by the Baseball Writers' Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908, and is known fo ...
as the 1955 National League Manager of the Year; he finished in second place behind Walter Alston
Walter Emmons Alston (December 1, 1911 – October 1, 1984), nicknamed "Smokey", was an American baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball He is best known for managing the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954 through 1976, and sig ...
.
The Phillies slipped to 71–83 in 1956 with Richie Ashburn
Don Richard Ashburn (March 19, 1927 – September 9, 1997), also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" (due to his light-blond hair), was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. (Some sources give his ...
being the only regular player to bat over .289. After six consecutive 20-win seasons, Robin Roberts led the National League with 18 losses in 1956 while falling 1 win short of 20. In September 1956, and despite the losing record, the Phillies showed their confidence in Smith by signing him to a one-year contract extension through the 1957 season.
In 1957, the Phillies returned to 77–77 despite pitcher Robin Roberts having a losing record of 10–22. Pitcher Jack Sanford
John Stanley Sanford (May 18, 1929 – March 7, 2000) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through . Sanford was notable for the meteoric start to his career when, he led ...
, named Rookie of the Year in 1957, saved the Phillies from falling below .500 with his record of 19–8. In 1958, the team slipped below .500 with a record of 39–45 in late July. On July 22, 1958, Smith was fired and replaced by Eddie Sawyer
Edwin Milby Sawyer (September 10, 1910 – September 22, 1997) was an American manager and scout in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he led the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies — the "Whiz Kids", as the youthful club was known — to the second ...
.
After Smith was fired, the 1958 Phillies dropped to last place under Sawyer. The Phillies finished in last place in the National League for four consecutive years from 1958 to 1961. In Smith's years with the Phillies, he compiled a 264–281 record ().[ In the three-and-a-half years after he was fired, the Phillies fell to 200–332 ().
]
Cincinnati Reds
In August 1958, shortly after Smith was fired by the Phillies, unconfirmed reports were published indicating that a deal was in the works for the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
to hire Smith as their manager. Jimmy Dykes
James Joseph Dykes (November 10, 1896 – June 15, 1976) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a third and second baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Philadelph ...
had been named interim manager after Birdie Tebbetts
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, B ...
resigned the post. At the end of September, Smith signed a one-year contract to take over as manager for the 1959 season. Cincinnati general manager Gabe Paul
Gabriel Howard Paul (January 4, 1910 – April 26, 1998) was an American executive in Major League Baseball who, between 1951 and 1984, served as general manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Colt .45s, Cleveland Indians and New York Yanke ...
announced: "We believe that in 3-year-oldMayo Smith we have a young, progressive, middle-of-the-road manager who will help formulate the kind of baseball organization that will result in success for our club." In ''The Cincinnati Post
''The Cincinnati Post'' was an afternoon daily newspaper published in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. In Northern Kentucky, it was bundled inside a local edition called ''The Kentucky Post''. The ''Post'' was a founding publication and onetime ...
'', Pat Harmon expressed skepticism: " e naming of Smith caused no ripple of excitement in the city. Here is a man who had a fourth and two fifths and was dropped by the Phillies."
Smith took over a Reds team that finished the 1958 season in fourth place with a 76–78 record. The team featured Vada Pinson
Vada Edward Pinson Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball for 18 years (1958–1975), most notably for the Cincinnati Reds, for who ...
and future Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
r Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019) was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams, from to . The only player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of bot ...
, but lacked a pitcher who would win more than 13 games in 1959. After a good start, the Reds fell to seventh place with a 35–45 record at the All-Star break. On July 8, 1959, Smith was fired and replaced by Fred Hutchinson
Frederick Charles Hutchinson (August 12, 1919 – November 12, 1964) was an American professional baseball player, a major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, and the manager for three major league teams.
Born and raised in Seattle, Washing ...
, who became the Reds' fourth manager in less than a year. Cincinnati sports writer Earl Lawson wrote that the change was driven by the belief that the team required tougher leadership. Lawson wrote:"Perhaps it's fitting to say that Smith is an example of Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher (French spelling Léo Ernest Durocher) (; July 27, 1905 – October 7, 1991), nicknamed "Leo the Lip" and "Lippy", was an American professional baseball player, manager (baseball), manager and coach (baseball), coach. He playe ...
's oft-repeated statement, 'Nice guys finish last.' Ball players 'liked' Smith and were quick to admit this, but whether they respected his judgment is questionable. 'Chewing-out' players was foreign to his personality."
Smith felt he was never given a chance in Cincinnati and spoke out against demands for instant success. He said, "It was humiliating. I hardly had a chance to get acquainted with the players."
Business interests
During the 1950s, Smith also had several business interests. In 1958, he developed a $600,000-plus, state-of-the-art "bowling palace" on the Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway was a United States auto trail first planned in 1914 to connect the Midwest with the South. It was part of a system and was expanded from an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final system is better understood as a network of ...
in Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
. The facility was equipped with automatic pin-setters, air conditioning, a nursery for bowlers with young children, and pro shop. Smith secured investments from other Major League Baseball managers and players, including Fred Hutchinson
Frederick Charles Hutchinson (August 12, 1919 – November 12, 1964) was an American professional baseball player, a major league pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, and the manager for three major league teams.
Born and raised in Seattle, Washing ...
and Hank Sauer
Henry John Sauer (March 17, 1917 – August 24, 2001) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He appeared in 1,399 games, primarily as a left fielder, in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds (1941–1942, 1945 ...
, and the facility was called Major League Lanes. By the end of 1959, Smith also had successful business interests in Florida real estate, West Virginia oil, and a bowling alley chain in the Carolinas.[
]
Yankees' scout
In September 1959, Smith, at age 44, Smith returned to the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
as "a field executive with duties as a major and minor league scout." Despite his business interests, Smith explained the attraction of returning to baseball:"It's simply that baseball gets in your blood and you can't get it out. Like being a compulsive gambler or something along those lines. You know when you become a manager, that you're going to be fired sooner or later, no matter how good a job you feel you are doing. From the moment you sign the contract you're as disposable as a wounded pirate. The only two guys who ever beat the rap were Connie Mack
Cornelius McGillicuddy (December 22, 1862 – February 8, 1956), better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds untoucha ...
and Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith (November 20, 1869 – October 27, 1955), nicknamed "The Old Fox", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, manager and team owner. He began his MLB playing career with the St. Louis Browns (1891), Boston Reds ...
. That's because they owned the club."
At the end of the 1960 season, Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, the expansion New York ...
retired as the Yankees' manager, and Smith was rumored to be a candidate to replace Stengel. Ralph Houk
Ralph George Houk (; August 9, 1919 – July 21, 2010), nicknamed The Major, was an American catcher, coach, manager, and front office executive in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the successor of Casey Stengel as manager of the New Yor ...
was chosen instead. In 1961, Smith was described as "a combination master scout and trouble shooter" for the Yankees. He remained a scout in the Yankees organization until 1966.[ During his years as a scout for the Yankees, Smith "toured the press rooms and the better watering spots" across the major leagues, "avail dhimself of free food and drinks in press rooms," developed a reputation as "a warm friendly man", and was sometimes referred to as "America's Guest."][
Prior to the ]1964 World Series
The 1964 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1964 season. The 61st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Amer ...
, Smith was assigned to scout the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. He reported that Tim McCarver
James Timothy McCarver (born October 16, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to , most prominently as a member of the St. Louis Cardinal ...
hit every ball to left field. Smith later recalled that, after Game 2 of the World Series, as McCarver pulled every ball to right field, Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra (May 12, 1925 – September 22, 2015) was an American professional baseball catcher who later took on the roles of Manager (baseball), manager and Coach (baseball), coach. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball ...
came to him and said, "You sure you were watching McCarver hit or were you somewhere else?"
Detroit Tigers
Hiring
During the 1966 season, the manager of the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, Chuck Dressen
Charles Walter Dressen (September 20, 1894Dressen's birthdate has been revised from 1898, as was commonly reported in ''The Sporting News' Baseball Register'' and ''Macmillan's Baseball Encyclopedia'', to 1894 by both Baseball Reference and Retr ...
, suffered a heart attack and eventually died in mid-August. After Dressen's heart attack, the Tigers named Bob Swift
Robert Virgil Swift (March 6, 1915 – October 17, 1966) was an American professional baseball player, coach, manager and scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, standing tall and weighing . He threw and batted right-handed.
...
as manager. Swift was diagnosed with lung cancer (he died two months after Dressen), and Frank Skaff
Francis Michael Skaff (September 30, 1910 – April 12, 1988) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder, coach, manager and scout. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935 and for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943, and served as act ...
filled in for the rest of the season. As the team searched for a new manager, both Al López
Alfonso Ramón López (August 20, 1908 – October 30, 2005) was a Spanish-American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers, Boston Bees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cle ...
and Bill Rigney
William Joseph Rigney (January 29, 1918 – February 20, 2001) was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. A 26-year big-league veteran, Rigney played for the New York Giants from to , then spent 18 seasons as the skipper ...
turned down the position. On October 3, 1966, the Tigers' general manager Jim Campbell signed Mayo Smith to a two-year contract at an annual salary of $40,000. As had been the case in Philadelphia and St. Louis, the hiring of relatively unknown Smith was not met with enthusiasm in the Detroit press.[ ]Joe Falls Joseph Francis Falls (May 2, 1928 – August 11, 2004) was an American journalist. He began his career in his native New York City. At the age of 17 in 1945, he took a job as a copyboy for the Associated Press. After an apprenticeship of eight years ...
of the ''Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
'' called him a "nobody" who fit Jim Campbell's image of the "elderly, experienced, devoted" manager. Jerry Green of ''The Detroit News
''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival ''Detroit Free Press'' building. ''The News'' absorbed the '' Detroit Tribune'' on Februa ...
'' later wrote: "Sportswriters covering the team at the time regarded Smith as a bland man without imagination."
Within several days after being hired, Smith put together a new coaching staff, including Tony Cuccinello
Anthony Francis Cuccinello (November 8, 1907 – September 21, 1995) was an American professional baseball second baseman and third baseman, then a longtime coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers ...
as third base coach, Johnny Sain
John Franklin "Johnny" Sain (September 25, 1917 – November 7, 2006) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was best known for teaming with left-hander Warren Spahn on the Boston Braves teams from 1946 to 1951. H ...
as pitching coach, Hal Naragon
Harold Richard Naragon (October 1, 1928 – August 31, 2019) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians (1951; 1954–59) and Washington Senators/ Minnesota Twins (1959–62). He batted left-handed and threw rig ...
as the bull-pen coach, and Wally Moses
Wallace Moses (October 8, 1910 – October 10, 1990) was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics (1935–41; 1949–51), Chicago White Sox (1942–46) and Boston Red Sox ( ...
as first-base coach.
Smith took over a talented team that had not played up to expectations, finishing third, fourth or fifth for five consecutive years. At his first press conference in Detroit, Smith identified pitching as the problem that most required attention and the outfield (featuring Al Kaline
Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kal ...
, Willie Horton
William R. Horton (born August 12, 1951), commonly referred to as "Willie Horton", is an American convicted felon who became notorious for committing violent crimes while on furlough from prison, where he was serving a life sentence without the ...
, Jim Northrup, Mickey Stanley
Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley (born July 20, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stanley signed with the Detroit Tigers organization in 1960. After four years in the Tigers' minor leagu ...
, and Gates Brown
William James "Gates" Brown (May 2, 1939 – September 27, 2013) was an American Major League Baseball left fielder who spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers (1963–1975). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Early life
Brown ...
) as the greatest strength.[ His first major initiative was a realignment of the infield. He announced in the fall of 1966 that he intended to shore up the team defensively by moving ]Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe (November 29, 1939 – May 13, 2016) was an American professional baseball shortstop / second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers (1960–73) and Boston Red Sox (1974–75). He was a ...
from shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
to second base and having Ray Oyler
Raymond Francis Oyler (August 4, 1937 – January 26, 1981) was an American baseball player, a major league shortstop for the Detroit Tigers (1965–1968), Seattle Pilots (1969), and California Angels (1970). He is best remembered as the slic ...
take over as shortstop.[ Smith's decision was met with "some public sneering." ]Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe (November 29, 1939 – May 13, 2016) was an American professional baseball shortstop / second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers (1960–73) and Boston Red Sox (1974–75). He was a ...
had been the Tigers starting shortstop since 1962 and had been selected as an All-Star in 1965 and 1966. And while Oyler was considered an excellent defensive shortstop, he had hit below .200 in both 1965 and 1966.
1967 season
The 1967 Tigers got off to a quick start, compiling 26–14 record in the first 40 games. Catcher Bill Freehan
William Ashley Freehan (November 29, 1941 – August 19, 2021) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers. The premier catcher in the American League for several years from the 19 ...
began the season with a hot bat, saw his batting average climb by 50 points in 1967 over 1966, increased his RBI total from 46 to 74, and finished third in the voting for the 1967 American League Most Valuable Player. Freehan credited Smith and Wally Moses for improving his offensive performance.
The 1967 season proved to be a roller-coaster ride, as the team lost 10 of 12 games from June 7 to 19, won seven in a row from July 2 to 9, and then lost six in a row.[ As the team endured successive hot and cold periods, Smith developed a reputation for "keeping his cool" and not "chewing out" his players. Smith resisted juggling his line-up, noting that he saw his role as building confidence and that he did not want to over-manage the team. In September, the Tigers were caught in a four-way pennant race with the ]Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, Twins
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
, and White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
. The Tigers won 17 of the last 27 games and finished the season with a 91–71 () record—one game behind the Red Sox, losing the pennant on the last day of the season after splitting a doubleheader with the California Angels.[
]
1968 season
The following year, the 1968 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant by 12 games with a record of 103–59 ().
Smith was credited with mentoring pitcher Denny McLain
Dennis Dale McLain (born March 29, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player. He played for ten seasons in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher, most prominently as a member of the Detroit Tigers. In 1968, McLain became ...
during the 1968 season. McLain, who became the first pitcher since 1934 to win 30 games, went 31–6 with a 1.96 ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Comp ...
, won the Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
and the American League Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...
. Asked about McLain's sometimes odd statements, Smith was protective, noting, "This is a 24-year-old boy reaching for Utopia. . . . You can't take the brashness away from him, and you wouldn't want to."
The 1968 season was not free from controversy. After being pulled from a game in August, pitcher Joe Sparma
Joseph Blase Sparma (February 4, 1942 – May 14, 1986) was a quarterback in collegiate football (1961–1962) and a pitcher in Major League Baseball (1964–1970).
Quarterback at Ohio State
Born in Massillon, Ohio, Sparma attended Ohio State Un ...
told a reporter that he felt "humiliated" and made "rather harsh comments" about Smith. When asked for a response, Smith said he "didn't want to get into a spitting contest with a skunk." Smith refused to start Sparma for several weeks afterward. When Sparma finally got another start on September 17, 1968, he pitched a one-run complete game against the Yankees to clinch the pennant. The Sparma-Smith feud continued, and Sparma pitched only of an inning in the 1968 World Series.
Another August controversy arose after Dick McAuliffe
Richard John McAuliffe (November 29, 1939 – May 13, 2016) was an American professional baseball shortstop / second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers (1960–73) and Boston Red Sox (1974–75). He was a ...
charged the mound and knocked down Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
pitcher Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed "The Bionic Man," is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He played for the Cleveland Indians, ...
. American League president Joe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin (October 12, 1906 – September 7, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, manager and executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop, most notably as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Cronin spe ...
initially imposed a $250 fine on McAuliffe, but subsequently modified the sanction to include a five-day penalty. Smith was convinced that Cronin had been swayed by the White Sox, exchanged angry words with Cronin in a phone call, and publicly called Cronin "a weak man" who had been caught in "a big lie."[ When the Tigers won the World Series, Cronin sought to patch up his relationship with Smith, but Smith declined, saying, "I don't get over things like this right away."][
The biggest setback of the season was the loss of future ]Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
inductee and right fielder Al Kaline
Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kal ...
to an injury. Kaline broke his arm after being hit by a pitch in late May and missed nearly three months of the season. When he returned in August, Smith was faced with a problem in getting him back into the lineup. Left fielder Willie Horton finished the 1968 season second in the American League with 36 home runs and a .543 slugging percentage. Center-fielder Mickey Stanley led all American League outfielders with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
and was on his way to a second consecutive Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
. Jim Northrup, who had taken over Kaline's spot in right field, finished the 1968 season third in the league with 90 RBIs and hit five grand slams during the season. Smith played Kaline at first base for 22 games, but the team already had Norm Cash as its regular first baseman. Concerned about his team's offense as the team prepared for the World Series, Smith moved Stanley to shortstop for the last nine games of the regular season. Stanley replaced Ray Oyler
Raymond Francis Oyler (August 4, 1937 – January 26, 1981) was an American baseball player, a major league shortstop for the Detroit Tigers (1965–1968), Seattle Pilots (1969), and California Angels (1970). He is best remembered as the slic ...
, who was an excellent fielder but hit only .135 for the season.
1968 World Series
The Tigers won the pennant and faced the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
in the 1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1968 Major League Baseball season, 1968 season. The 65th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between American League (AL) ch ...
. Behind the pitching of Bob Gibson
Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...
, the Cardinals took a 3–1 edge in the first four games. The Tigers won the final three games to capture the World Series.
Smith's strategic moves in the World Series drew praise even from those who had previously been critics.[ Smith's most dramatic strategic call was his decision to continue playing center-fielder Mickey Stanley at shortstop, for all seven games of the World Series. Even Smith's closest friends questioned the move, and critics gravely opined that he was weakening the Tigers at two positions, given Stanley's Gold Glove season in center field.][ While Stanley made two errors, neither led to a Cardinal run, and his play at shortstop was generally solid. More importantly, the move allowed Smith to keep both Jim Northrup and Al Kaline in the line-up, and each had key hits to fuel the Tigers' comeback against the Cardinals. Kaline had a .379 batting average in the World Series with two home runs, eight RBIs, and the game-winning hit in Game 5. Northrup also belted two home runs (including a ]grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
in Game 6), hit a two-run triple in Game 7, and totalled eight RBIs.[
'']The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' later called Smith's move of Stanley to shortstop for the World Series "the gutsiest move in history." ESPN has ranked Smith's decision to move Stanley to shortstop as the third "gutsiest call" in sports history, and one of the Ten Greatest Coaching Decisions of the 20th Century in any sport.
Smith also drew praise for his adjustments to the pitching rotation in the World Series. Watson Spoelstra
Watson N. "Waddy" Spoelstra (April 5, 1910 – July 20, 1999) was an American sportswriter for ''The Detroit News'' from 1945 to 1973. He served as the president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 1968. After retiring from ''The ...
wrote: "Mayo's managing against the Cardinals couldn't have been better."[ With the Cardinals leading the series 3–1, the Tigers trailed 3–2 in the seventh inning of Game 5. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Smith opted to allow starting pitcher Mickey Lolich to bat, despite the Tigers need to put a runner on base. Lolich got a base hit to start a two-run rally, scored the tying run, struck out ]Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris (September 10, 1934 – December 14, 1985) was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is best known for setting a new MLB single-season home run record with 61 ...
and picked off Lou Brock
Louis Clark Brock (June 18, 1939September 6, 2020) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He began his 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the 1961 Chicago Cubs but spent most of it as a left fielder for the St. Louis Car ...
in the ninth inning, and pitched his second complete-game victory of the series. In Game 6, Smith surprised observers by calling on Denny McLain to start on two days rest, and despite poor performances in Games 1 and 4. The Tigers gave McLain a 12–0 lead with a 10-run third inning, and McLain pitched a complete game, allowing only one run. In Game 7, Smith called on Lolich to pitch on two days rest. Matched against Bob Gibson, Lolich pitched his third complete game, allowing only one run, and led the team to a 4–1 victory.
At the end of the 1968 season, Smith received The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
The ''Sporting News'' Manager of the Year Award was established in 1936 by ''The Sporting News'' and was given annually to one manager in Major League Baseball. In 1986 it was expanded to honor one manager from each league. In 2021 the winners we ...
, receiving 17 of 19 votes. ''The Sporting News'' noted that the key players on the 1968 Tigers "had been around for several years, when the Tigers were going nowhere. The man whose arrival coincided with a Tiger awakening is Mayo Smith. . . . Mayo is making it tough for people who claim the manager isn't important."[ Smith also received a two-year contract extension with a $15,000 raise to $55,000 a season.] Smith's fan mail was so voluminous after the Tigers won the World Series that it took five people two full days to put things in order.
1969 season
In 1969, the Tigers compiled a 90–72 () record but finished in second place – 19 games behind the 1969 Baltimore Orioles. The team relied on power as four players (Cash, Kaline, Horton and Northrup) hit more than 20 home runs, but lacked speed and finished last in the American League with only 35 stolen bases. Denny McLain won 24 games, and Mickey Lolich won 19 while striking out 271 batters. With the second-place finish, Smith's teams had finished in first or second place for three consecutive years. No Detroit manager had accomplished that feat since Steve O'Neill
Stephen Francis O'Neill (July 6, 1891 – January 26, 1962) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, most notably with the Cleveland Indians. As a manager, he led the Detroit Tig ...
from 1945 to 1947.
1970 season
In 1970, the Tigers fell to 79–83 () in a season marked by the suspension of Denny McLain for his association with bookmaker
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookma ...
s and by the publication of Bill Freehan
William Ashley Freehan (November 29, 1941 – August 19, 2021) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers. The premier catcher in the American League for several years from the 19 ...
's behind-the-scenes book on the 1969 team. The Tigers were in third place, seven games behind Baltimore, at the end of June, but collapsed in the second half of the season, finishing 29 games behind the Orioles.[ McLain won only three games in 1970, and Mickey Lolich led the American League with 19 losses and a 14–19 record. The team's power-hitting lineup also lost its punch, as no player hit more than 17 home runs.] The team also compiled the lowest batting average in the American League at .238.
As the 1970 Tigers headed for their first losing season since 1963 and their worst record since 1960, Smith came under increasing criticism from fans and the press. Immediately after the season, on October 2, 1970, the Tigers fired Smith and replaced him with Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989), commonly called "Billy", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yan ...
. Before leaving Detroit, Smith called the city a great sports town in his farewell news conference, but he privately lashed out at the fans in a conversation with reporters: "They wouldn't know a baseball player from a Japanese aviator. The fans in Detroit are ignorant. They'd rather see you leave a tired pitcher in and get beat with a complete game than bring in a fresh one that might win it for you."
In all or parts of nine seasons as a manager, Smith compiled an overall record of 662–612 ().
Oakland Athletics
After spending most of the 1971 season at his home in Florida, Smith was hired by Charlie Finley
Charles Oscar Finley (February 22, 1918 – February 19, 1996), nicknamed Charlie O or Charley O, was an American businessman who owned Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics. Finley purchased the franchise while it was located in Kansas Cit ...
as a special scout for the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
during the last month of the 1971 season. He was assigned to cover the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
in preparation for the 1971 American League Championship Series. On September 2, 1971, ''The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries.
Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...
'' reported on Smith's espionage assignment: "Super Spy Sets Sights on Birds." Despite Smith's scouting report, the Orioles swept the A's in three games as Dave McNally
David Arthur McNally (October 31, 1942 – December 1, 2002) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 1962 through 1975, most notably as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dyn ...
, Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana (; May 8, 1937 – April 2, 2010) was a Cuban professional baseball player. He played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher in 1959 and from 1964 through 1977, most prominently as a membe ...
and Jim Palmer
James Alvin Palmer (born October 15, 1945) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles (1965–1967, 1969–1984). Palmer was the winningest MLB pitcher in the ...
held the A's to seven runs in three games.
Later years and family
In March 1940, Smith married Louise Pauline Otto in a ceremony held at the Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Worth, Florida
Lake Worth Beach, previously named Lake Worth, is a city in east-central Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, located about north of Miami. The city's name is derived from the body of water along its eastern border known as the Lake Worth ...
. Both were graduates of Lake City High School. They had a daughter, Judith Ann, and a son, Fred M. Smith. During the off-season and in retirement, Smith and his wife continued to live in Lake Worth.[
In November 1977, Smith suffered a massive ]stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
while dining with his family at a restaurant in Lake Worth. He did not regain consciousness and died at age 62 at Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach.
Mayo Smith Society and King Tiger Award
In 1983, the "Mayo Smith Society" was formed in Smith's memory. It continues to operate as the international fan club for Tigers fans, sponsoring an annual spring training trip, an annual gathering in Detroit, making charitable contributions, and publishing the "Tigers Stripes" and "E-Mayo Flash" newsletters.[ Society co-founder ]Dale Petroskey
Dale A. Petroskey (born August 17, 1955) is the current President and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber. He is the former Executive Vice President of Marketing for the Texas Rangers baseball club, a former executive of the National Baseball Hall ...
(later president of the Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
) told ''The New York Times'' in 2006 that "Smith inspired the club's name because he was 'a somewhat forgettable figure in Tiger history' who shocked baseball in 1968 by moving center fielder Mickey Stanley to shortstop for the Series. 'What an amazingly bold roll of the dice . . . Mayo gambled big time, and he won."
Since 2004, the Mayo Smith Society has given its annual "King Tiger Award" to a Detroit Tigers player for on-field and off-field contributions.[ The players receiving the award are:
*2004: ]Carlos Guillén
Carlos Alfonso Guillén (born September 30, 1975) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder.
Guillén was signed by the Houston Astros as a non-draft amateur free agent in 1992. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners with pitcher F ...
and Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Texas Rangers (in two separate stints, comprising the majority of his career), Florida ...
(tie)[
*2005: ]Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco (; born October 10, 1975) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins. He was a ...
[
*2006: ]Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
[
*2007: ]Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado (; born January 28, 1974) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball right fielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox (1997–2004) and Detroit Tigers (2005–2011). Ordóñez is tall and weighs . Having pos ...
*2008: Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since his debut in 2003 he has been a two-t ...
*2009: Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. From Manakin-Sabot, ...
*2010: Miguel Cabrera (second time)
*2011: Justin Verlander (second time)
*2012: Miguel Cabrera (third time)
*2013: Max Scherzer
Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and L ...
* 2014: Víctor Martínez
* 2015: J. D. Martinez
References
External links
Mayo Smith
at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
Mayo Smith
at Baseball Almanac
Mayo Smith
at Baseball Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Mayo
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