REGGIE SMITH

Reggie Smith is one of the premier switch hitters in major league history---4th on the all time career "home runs by a switch hitter" list behind Mantle, Murray and Chili Davis---and the only player on that list to hit more than 100 in each league.

Reggie was an ambidextrous all-state high school star in both football and baseball. He was offered a tryout with the Dodgers in the early '60s as a shortstop, but was signed by the Twins. As a shortstop he led the Appalachian League in errors in 1963.

He was drafted in the minor league draft by the Red Sox for $8,000 and converted into an outfielder. After leading the International League in batting in '66, he was brought up to the bigs in 1967, where he was instrumental in bringing the AL pennant to Boston. He homered twice in the World Series. He immediately became a fixture in the potent Fenway outfields (along with Yaz, Conigilaro, Harrelson), first in center, later in right. His shotgun arm was the most feared by AL runners for many years.

In 1968 he won a Gold Glove, led the AL in putouts and doubles (37). In '69 he hit .309. In 1970 he hit .303, led the AL in assists and was named to the Sporting News All Star team. In '71 he hits 30 hrs and 33 doubles and the next year he hit .303.

Unfortunately he tore ligaments in his knee in '71. Club management told him he was ready to play, but Smith refused to jeopardize his career and produced medical testimony that he was not fully recovered. Accusations of malingering dogged him, which he claimed were racially motivated by notoriously conservative Red Sox management.

As a result, he was trade after the '73 season to the Cards, where he had All Star seasons in '74 and '75. In '74 he had his only 100 rbi season and hit .309

In 1976 he hit three homers in a game, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Dodgers. He was pivotal to the L.A. pennants of '77, '78 and '81 and in 1977 was part of the first team with four members hitting 30 or more homers. It seemed that whenever he appeared hitting left-handed during those Dodger years, something good always happened to the team.

His last seasons with L.A. were spent nursing various injuries and he signed with S.F. for 1982. He yanked 18 hrs, second highest for a final season in NL history.

Reggie was one of the most fearsome switch-hitters, especially from the left side, of all-time, and even a quick perusal of his lifetime stats indicates he played a level higher than many HOFers. A shoe-in for SITT; a strong candidate for Cooperstown.