James Lawrence Smith (May 15, 1895 – January 1, 1974) was a Major League Baseball infielder often referred to as "Greenfield Jimmy" or "Bluejacket".
| Jimmy Smith | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Smith with the New York Giants in 1917. | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: May 15, 1895 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: January 1, 1974 (aged 78) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Both Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 26, 1914, for the Chicago Chi-Feds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 3, 1922, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .219 |
| Home runs | 12 |
| Runs batted in | 108 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Smith was a switch hitter and threw right-handed. His major league debut came on September 26, 1914, with the Chicago Chi-Feds.[1] In 1919, he won the World Series with the Cincinnati Reds, and he went on to play his final game with the Philadelphia Phillies on September 3, 1922.
During Prohibition, Smith smuggled bootlegged alcohol from various cities into his Greenfield neighborhood.[2] After retiring from baseball, he joined National Distillers company as general manager.[3] He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
Family
editSmith had four children: Mary Louise, Jimmy Jr., Nora, and Tommy. Jimmy Jr. played baseball for the University of Pennsylvania, and some professional baseball in the minor leagues with the Gladewater Bears, a team in the Texas League. Tommy played basketball at Pennsylvania and then attended the Wharton school of business. Jimmy Jr. had a son, Jimmy Smith III, who was an All-Ivy League football player at the University of Pennsylvania. Jimmy Smith III signed a contract to play with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1983 but was released after a knee injury. [4]
Smith was the father-in-law of world light heavyweight champion Billy Conn.[5] A rematch against Joe Louis in 1942 had to be abruptly canceled after Conn broke his hand in a much-publicized fight with Smith.[citation needed]
Smith's great-granddaughter is swimmer Leah Smith.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Jimmy Smith Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- ^ Kulina, Anita. Millhunks and Renegades: A Portrait of a Pittsburgh Neighborhood. Brandt Street Press, January 1, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
- ^ "'Greenfield Jimmy' Smith Dies". The Pittsburgh Press. No. 189, Vol. 90. January 2, 1974. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ History — 2009 Penn Football
- ^ Billy Conn Official.[1] Retrieved Feb. 20, 2007. Archived December 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Bio: Leah Smith". University of Virginia. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Jimmy Smith at Find a Grave
