| Reggie Smith | |
|---|---|
 Smith with the Boston Red Sox in 1969 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1945-04-02)April 2, 1945 (age 80) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 18, 1966, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 1982, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .287 |
| Hits | 2,020 |
| Home runs | 314 |
| Runs batted in | 1,092 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Carl Reginald Smith (born April 2, 1945) is anAmerican former professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as anoutfielder and afterwards served as acoach and front office executive. He also played in theNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for two seasons at the end of his playing career. During a seventeen-year MLB career (1966–1982), Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314home runs with 1,092RBI andbatted .287. He was aswitch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest throwing arms of any outfielder in the MLB. Smith played at least seventy games in thirteen different seasons, and in every one of those thirteen seasons, his team had a winning record.
Smith grew up inLos Angeles,California, and attendedCentennial High School inCompton, California. He won theInternational League batting title in 1966 with a .320 average while playing for theToronto Maple Leafs. He was called up to the MLB late in that season and played for theBoston Red Sox (1966–73),St. Louis Cardinals (1974–76),Los Angeles Dodgers (1976–81) andSan Francisco Giants (1982). He appeared in fourWorld Series, including during his rookie 1967season for the Red Sox, and three (1977,1978 and1981) for the Dodgers. He hit three home runs in the 1977 series.
Smith was traded along withKen Tatum from the Red Sox to theSt. Louis Cardinals forBernie Carbo andRick Wise on October 26, 1973.[1] He later called Boston a racist city, and was censured for his comments by Boston mayorKevin White.[2] On June 15, 1976, Smith was traded to theLos Angeles Dodgers forBob Detherage,Joe Ferguson, and Freddie Tisdale.
In the 1978 season, Dodger pitcherDon Sutton went public with comments that Smith was a more valuable player to the Dodgers than the more-celebratedSteve Garvey. This led to an infamous clubhouse wrestling match between Sutton and Garvey.[3]Tommy John, who also played with Smith in Los Angeles, thought that Smith was a great leader. "He was aDon Baylor type, an outspoken enforcer, a guy who played his fanny off for us."[4]
In the 1981 season as a member of the Dodgers, Smith was taunted byGiants fan Michael Dooley, who then threw a batting helmet at him. Smith then jumped into the stands atCandlestick Park and started punching him. He was ejected from the game, and Dooley was arrested.[5] Five months later, Smith joined the Giants as afree agent.
After one season in San Francisco, Smith then moved to NPB with theYomiuri Giants, at a salary of close to a million dollars and the use of three automobiles.[2] Smith was a productive power-hitter for the Giants for two seasons, but often bristled against the codified traditions of the Yomiuri organization in particular and baseball in Japan in general.[6]
In 1,987 games over 17 Major League seasons, Smith posted a .287batting average (2020-for-7033) with 2,020hits, 1,123runs, 363doubles, 57triples, 314home runs, 1,092RBI, 137stolen bases, 890base on balls, 1,030strikeouts, a .366on-base percentage, and a .489slugging percentage. He recorded a career .978fielding percentage. In four World Series and four playoff series covering 32 games, he hit .234 (25-for-107) with 17 runs, 6 home runs, and 17 RBI.[7]
After his playing career ended, Smith rejoined the Dodgers, where he served as acoach underTommy Lasorda, aminor league instructor, and a player development official.
Smith became involved with USA Baseball in 1999 as hitting coach on the 1999 Professional Team at thePan American Games inWinnipeg, Manitoba (Silver,Olympic qualifiers). Smith again served as USA hitting coach in the 2000Olympic Games inSydney, Australia where the US Team took home gold. He also served as hitting coach for the 2007 IBAFBaseball World Cup inTaiwan (gold). Smith also served as hitting coach for Team USA during the 2006World Baseball Classic, and served as hitting coach for the bronze medal-winning USA Baseball Olympic team at the2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing.[8]
Smith runs a baseball academy inEncino, California, where he trains youth players, includingMax Fried andAustin Wilson.[9]
Smith helped coach the NL All Stars in 2021 as part ofDave Roberts' staff.
Smith has apilot's license and can play seven different musical instruments.[2]
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