Jimmy Smith (baseball)

James Lawrence Smith (born May 15, 1895 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – January 1, 1974 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was a Major League Baseball infielder often referred to as "Greenfield Jimmy" or "Bluejacket".

For other people with the same name, see Jimmy Smith.
For other people named Bluejacket, see Bluejacket (disambiguation).
Jimmy Smith
Smith with the New York Giants in 1917.
Infielder
Born: (1895-04-15)April 15, 1895
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died: January 1, 1974(1974-01-01) (aged 78)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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 runs12
Runs batted in108
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] He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

Family

Smith 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. [3]

Smith was the father-in-law of world light heavyweight champion Billy Conn.[4]

Smith's great-granddaughter is swimmer Leah Smith.[5]

References
  1. "Jimmy Smith Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  2. Kulina, Anita. Millhunks and Renegades: A Portrait of a Pittsburgh Neighborhood. Brandt Street Press, January 1, 2003. Retrieved July 28, 2007.
  3. History — 2009 Penn Football
  4. Billy Conn Official. Retrieved Feb. 20, 2007. Archived December 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Bio: Leah Smith". University of Virginia. Retrieved 2015-08-16.

A rematch against Joe Louis in 1942 had to be abruptly canceled after Conn broke his hand in a much-publicized fight with his father-in-law, major league ballplayer "Greenfield" Jimmy Smith.

1917 Champion New York Giants Team Photo
1919 World Champion Cincinnati Reds
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.