Elmer Ellsworth "Mike" Smith (March 23, 1868 – November 3, 1945) was an American professional baseball player who played as a
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
and as an
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
for 14 seasons in the major leagues from 1886 to 1901.
He began his career as a pitcher for the
Cincinnati Red Stockings
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of were baseball's first all-professional team, with ten salaried players. The Cincinnati Base Ball Club formed in 1866 and fielded competitive teams in the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) 1867†...
, leading the AA in
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
in 1887, then switched to playing the outfield when he began playing for the
Pittsburgh Pirates in 1892. He returned the Reds for three seasons from 1898 to 1900, and then played one partial season with the
New York Giants. He appeared in four games for the Pirates in 1901, then finished the season, and his career, with the
Boston Beaneaters.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
In baseball statistics, a stolen base is credited to a baserunner when he successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is throwing the ball to home plate. Under Rule 7.01 of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Official Rules, a runner acqu ...
*
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
References
External links
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1868 births
1945 deaths
Major League Baseball outfielders
Baseball players from Pittsburgh
Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA) players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Cincinnati Reds players
New York Giants (NL) players
Boston Beaneaters players
19th-century baseball players
Kansas City Blues (baseball) players
Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players
Columbus Senators players
Ilion Typewriters players
Wilkes-Barre Barons (baseball) players
Binghamton Bingoes players
Nashville Americans players
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