Hal Smith (Harold Raymond Smith) died Saturday.
Smith’s best season was in 1959, when the catcher hit 13 home runs, scored 35 runs and drove in 50 in 142 games for St. Louis. He didn’t strike out much, just 128 times in 1824 at bats. A lot of players today strike out that much in a season.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
He was one of three Hal Smiths. Harold Laverne Smith dies at the age of 90. Harold Wayne Smith, a contemporary of Harold Raymond Smith and also a catcher, is still alive at the age of 83. Seems the Hal Smiths live a very long time.
Harold Wayne was the guy who hit a home run in the 8th inning of Game 7 of the 1960 WS to give the Pirates a brief 9 – 7 lead. The Yankees tied it in the top of the 9th, which set the stage for Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the inning.
Linkmeister » Cool.