Hal Smith
Born: 12/7/1930 in West Frankfort, IL, USA
Died: 1/9/2020 in Columbus, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1955-04-11 | Final Game: 1964-07-22
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Harold Wayne Smith
Biography
Hal Smith was a professional baseball player born in 1930, whose career spanned from 1955 to 1964. Primarily recognized as a position player, Smith played a total of 879 games in Major League Baseball. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 715 hits, showcasing a solid batting average of .267. His offensive contributions included 58 home runs and 323 runs batted in (RBIs), underscoring his ability to drive in runs during his tenure on the field. Additionally, he demonstrated speed on the bases with a total of 7 stolen bases.
Smith's career unfolded during a dynamic period in baseball history, marked by the transition from the post-war era into a more modern age of the game. His versatility and knack for clutch hitting made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, although he often found himself overshadowed by some of the era's bigger stars. His legacy includes not only his individual achievements but also his contributions to the teams he represented, making him a respected figure in the annals of baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 879 | 2682 | 269 | 715 | 148 | 10 | 58 | 323 | 7 | 196 | 361 | 0.267 | 0.317 | 0.394 | 0.711 | -939.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 135 | 424 | 41 | 115 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 52 | 1 | 30 | 21 | 0.271 | -521.0 |
| 1956 | BAL | AL | 77 | 229 | 16 | 60 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 0.262 | -312.1 |
| 1956 | KC1 | AL | 37 | 142 | 15 | 39 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 0.275 | -312.1 |
| 1957 | KC1 | AL | 107 | 360 | 41 | 109 | 26 | 0 | 13 | 41 | 2 | 14 | 44 | 0.303 | 767.8 |
| 1958 | KC1 | AL | 99 | 315 | 32 | 86 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 46 | 0 | 25 | 47 | 0.273 | -105.2 |
| 1959 | KC1 | AL | 108 | 292 | 36 | 84 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 0 | 34 | 39 | 0.288 | 375.4 |
| 1960 | PIT | NL | 77 | 258 | 37 | 76 | 18 | 2 | 11 | 45 | 1 | 22 | 48 | 0.295 | 890.8 |
| 1961 | PIT | NL | 67 | 193 | 12 | 43 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 11 | 38 | 0.223 | -693.1 |
| 1962 | HOU | NL | 109 | 345 | 32 | 81 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 35 | 0 | 24 | 55 | 0.235 | -562.2 |
| 1963 | HOU | NL | 31 | 58 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0.241 | -145.9 |
| 1964 | CIN | NL | 32 | 66 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 20 | 0.121 | -422.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | WS | PIT | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 16 | 15 | 130 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| 3B | 126 | 104 | 129 | 213 | 18 | 19 |
| C | 648 | 585 | 3116 | 320 | 49 | 57 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | BAL | C | 125 | 113 | 497 | 58 | 8 | 9 |
| 1956 | BAL | C | 71 | 59 | 313 | 33 | 2 | 11 |
| 1956 | KC1 | C | 37 | 36 | 183 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| 1957 | KC1 | C | 103 | 95 | 463 | 55 | 9 | 8 |
| 1958 | KC1 | C | 31 | 29 | 149 | 19 | 1 | 4 |
| 1958 | KC1 | 1B | 14 | 14 | 120 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1958 | KC1 | 3B | 43 | 42 | 44 | 87 | 7 | 9 |
| 1959 | KC1 | C | 22 | 18 | 125 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1959 | KC1 | 3B | 77 | 60 | 85 | 119 | 10 | 10 |
| 1960 | PIT | C | 71 | 66 | 356 | 30 | 6 | 5 |
| 1961 | PIT | C | 65 | 55 | 290 | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 1962 | HOU | C | 92 | 86 | 570 | 65 | 9 | 9 |
| 1962 | HOU | 1B | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1962 | HOU | 3B | 6 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | HOU | C | 11 | 10 | 65 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1964 | CIN | C | 20 | 18 | 105 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 648 |
| First Base | 16 |
| Third Base | 127 |