Hilton Smith

Pitcher · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (Final season: 1948)

Hilton Smith was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Monroe Monarchs, the Kansas City Monarchs, and the Chicago American Giants. Across 170 career appearances, he went 71-38 with a 2.93 ERA and 628 strikeouts. He also batted .301 with 6 home runs. Hilton Smith was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 and was a 6-time All-Star. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 37557.8.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
SO (Strikeouts):
For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.

Data updated

⭐ Hall of Fame 2001
W–L 71–38
ERA 2.93
WHIP 1.11
SO 628
Pitcher PIV 37557.8
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
R / R
Height / Weight
6'2" / 180 lb
Born
2/27/1907 in Giddings, TX, USA
Died
11/18/1983 in Kansas City, MO, USA
Last Game
1948-09-21
Hall of Fame
Inducted 2001 (Veterans)
Awards
6× All-Star

Full name: Hilton Lee Smith

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Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

Hilton Smith — Batting
PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
610.0 583.0 61.0 191.0 37.0 5.0 5.0 84.0 17.0 4.0 4.0 .328 .346 .434 .780

Pitching

Hilton Smith — Pitching
W L GS CG GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA WHIP
120 59 177 106 100 18 1508.2 1218 568 196 18 217 698 1.17 0.95

Career Pitching Statistics

Hilton Smith — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
71 38 170 104 63 8 16 975.1 883 318 19 198 628 2.93 37557.8

Career ERA 2.93 vs. league average 3.98 across their career seasons — 26.3% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Hilton Smith Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1932 MRM NSL 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 5.2 6 3 0 2 4.76 — 0.0
1936 KCM IND 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 2.0 5 2 3 2 9.00 — 0.0
1937 KCM NAL 11 4 20 16 9 3 0 128.1 84 24 27 97 1.68 4.34 (+61%) 5981.0
1937 CAG NAL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2.0 1 0 0 2 0.00 — 0.0
1938 KCM NAL 9 2 19 11 7 1 1 112.2 102 26 12 88 2.08 4.35 (+52%) 6053.1
1939 KCM NAL 6 4 21 12 6 1 4 105.1 82 31 19 84 2.65 4.28 (+38%) 5473.0
1940 KCM NAL 4 4 16 7 4 0 3 64.1 53 27 15 64 3.78 4.21 (+10%) 3671.3
1941 KCM NAL 10 0 15 8 7 2 3 92.1 72 17 11 67 1.66 3.94 (+58%) 4576.4
1942 KCM NAL 5 4 14 7 5 0 2 85.0 91 36 19 53 3.81 3.57 (-7%) 2731.3
1943 KCM NAL 3 2 10 6 3 1 0 60.0 49 17 10 29 2.55 3.50 (+27%) 2002.9
1944 KCM NAL 2 5 9 6 3 0 1 49.2 45 19 17 18 3.44 3.57 (+4%) 746.0
1945 KCM NAL 6 4 11 8 6 0 0 77.0 76 28 19 42 3.27 3.67 (+11%) 1807.9
1946 KCM NAL 4 2 8 6 3 0 1 51.2 40 8 10 16 1.39 3.59 (+61%) 1034.0
1947 KCM NAL 7 4 13 8 6 0 0 75.2 105 49 15 25 5.83 3.97 (-47%) 1690.2
1948 KCM NAL 4 2 11 7 4 0 0 63.2 72 31 21 39 4.38 4.10 (-7%) 1790.8
Career · 15 seasons 71 38 170 104 63 8 16 975.1 883 318 198 628 2.93 — 37,558

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Batting Statistics

Hilton Smith — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
256 542 55 163 28 5 6 88 3 22 2 .301 .327 .404 .731 -122

Career AVG .301 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — +13.0% above league average.

Career OBP .327 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .404 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — +7.5% above league average.

Career OPS .731 vs. league average .711 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Hilton Smith Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1932 MRM NSL 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1936 KCM IND 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1937 KCM NAL 25 59 4 18 2 0 1 7 1 1 2 .305 .276 (+10%) .342 (-8%) .398 (-2%) .740 (-5%) -53.3
1937 CAG NAL 4 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 — — — — -53.3
1938 KCM NAL 26 68 9 25 6 0 3 13 1 2 0 .368 .272 (+35%) .341 (+13%) .392 (+50%) .734 (+33%) 342.1
1939 KCM NAL 26 52 3 9 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 .173 .274 (-37%) .342 (-46%) .393 (-46%) .735 (-46%) -409.0
1940 KCM NAL 19 30 2 14 4 1 0 7 0 1 0 .467 — — — — 0.0
1941 KCM NAL 16 40 6 13 5 0 0 8 0 3 0 .325 — — — — 0.0
1942 KCM NAL 18 45 6 15 2 0 0 6 0 2 0 .333 — — — — 0.0
1943 KCM NAL 26 62 8 16 3 2 0 9 0 5 0 .258 .255 (+1%) .324 (-4%) .346 (+7%) .671 (+2%) -2.1
1944 KCM NAL 20 32 2 8 0 0 1 3 0 3 0 .250 — — — — 0.0
1945 KCM NAL 20 39 2 10 1 0 0 8 1 1 0 .256 — — — — 0.0
1946 KCM NAL 16 33 4 13 2 0 0 10 0 1 0 .394 — — — — 0.0
1947 KCM NAL 24 44 3 12 1 0 1 10 0 1 0 .273 — — — — 0.0
1948 KCM NAL 13 28 6 9 2 1 0 5 0 1 0 .321 — — — — 0.0
Career · 15 seasons 256 542 55 163 28 5 6 88 3 22 2 .301 — — — — -176

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Hilton Smith — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
11 22 3 7 2 0 0 0 1 0 .318

Playoff Batting by Year

Hilton Smith — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1948 ALC KCM 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
1946 NWS KCM 3 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .167
1942 NWS KCM 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1939 ALC KCM 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333
1937 ALC KCM 3 7 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .429

Playoff Career Pitching

Hilton Smith — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
6 0 9 5 1 47.2 52 7 12 50 1.32

Playoff Pitching by Year

Hilton Smith — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1946 NWS KCM 1 0 2 2 0 14.0 15 2 3 12 1.29
1942 NWS KCM 1 0 1 1 0 5.0 5 0 2 2 0.00
1939 ALC KCM 2 0 3 1 1 13.2 13 1 3 19 0.66
1937 ALC KCM 2 0 3 1 0 15.0 19 4 4 17 2.40

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (415 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Hilton Smith — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home14727932102456.366
Away93129124018.310

Pitching — Home / Away

Hilton Smith — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home99606.147280782931.19
Away76359.229937421460.93

Last 10 Games — Batting

Hilton Smith — Last 10 Games — Batting
DateTmOppResABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSO
1948-08-17 KCMCAGL 000000000
1948-07-28 KCMIN9L 301000100
1948-07-22 KCMIN9W 000000000
1948-07-12 KCMCAGL 100000000
1948-07-05 KCMCAGW 312000000
1948-06-27 KCMCVBL 311000100
1948-06-24 KCMMEMW 110000010
1948-06-18 KCMCVBL 000000000
1948-06-13 KCMCVBL 000000000
1948-06-13 KCMCVBL 000000000

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Hilton Smith — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
1948-08-17 KCMCAG — 0.0000000
1948-07-28 KCMIN9 — 7.0975330
1948-07-22 KCMIN9 W 7.0040000
1948-07-12 KCMCAG L 2.0790142
1948-07-05 KCMCAG W 4.1830220
1948-06-27 KCMCVB — 8.01355130
1948-06-18 KCMCVB L 0.0000000
1948-06-13 KCMCVB — 3.0020000
1948-06-13 KCMCVB L 0.1222000
1948-06-07 KCMBIR — 0.0000000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Hilton Smith — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 1 0 3 0 0 0
OF 27 18 20 1 2 0
P 170 104 39 277 15 11

Season-by-Season Fielding

Hilton Smith — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1932 MRM P 1 1 0 2 0 0
1936 KCM P 1 1 0 0 0 0
1937 KCM P 20 16 5 46 4 2
1937 CAG 1B 1 0 3 0 0 0
1937 CAG OF 1 1 2 0 0 0
1937 CAG P 1 0 0 0 0 0
1938 KCM OF 6 4 4 1 1 0
1938 KCM P 19 11 6 41 0 2
1939 KCM OF 2 1 2 0 0 0
1939 KCM P 21 12 5 28 2 0
1940 KCM P 16 7 4 16 0 0
1941 KCM OF 1 1 1 0 0 0
1941 KCM P 15 8 5 29 0 1
1942 KCM OF 1 1 1 0 0 0
1942 KCM P 14 7 1 20 2 1
1943 KCM OF 12 8 3 0 1 0
1943 KCM P 10 6 3 15 2 0
1944 KCM OF 2 1 3 0 0 0
1944 KCM P 9 6 0 15 4 0
1945 KCM P 11 8 2 17 0 1
1946 KCM OF 1 1 2 0 0 0
1946 KCM P 8 6 3 17 1 2
1947 KCM P 13 8 4 19 0 2
1948 KCM OF 1 0 2 0 0 0
1948 KCM P 11 7 1 12 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Hilton Smith Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 170
First Base 1
Left Field 11
Center Field 1
Right Field 15

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

  1. 98
    Tom Hughes
    56-39, 2.56 ERA
  2. 96
    Juan Padrón
    68-72, 2.74 ERA
  3. 93
    Fred Anderson
    53-57, 2.86 ERA
  4. 87
    Bullet Rogan HOF
    117-52, 2.74 ERA
  5. 86
    Tex Hughson
    96-54, 2.94 ERA
  6. 85
    Tom Williams
    57-27, 2.93 ERA

Compare Hilton Smith

Side-by-side career stat comparisons against Smith's closest peers by position and era.

vs Cy Young
vs Walter Johnson
vs Clayton Kershaw
vs Christy Mathewson
vs Lefty Grove
vs Satchel Paige

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See Hilton Smith in Another Era

What would Smith's 1937 season look like in a different era's run environment? Try the cross-era translation with a live slider.

Translate Hilton Smith's peak season across eras →

Hilton Smith: the record in brief

Hilton Smith's record on this page is drawn from the season tables, which run from 1932 to 1948. Smith played for the Monroe Monarchs (1932), the Kansas City Monarchs (1936 through 1948), and the Chicago American Giants (1937). Born on February 27, 1907, in Giddings, TX, USA, Smith is listed as a pitcher and batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. The bio records the death on November 18, 1983, in Kansas City, MO, USA. Hilton Smith was the playing name; the full given name is Hilton Lee.

Across 170 games (104 starts), Smith recorded 71 wins against 38 losses with a 2.93 ERA. The totals include 628 strikeouts, 63 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 16 saves. Against a 3.98 league ERA for the same years, Smith was 26.3% better. No season topped the 11 wins of 1937. In 1941, one of the busiest seasons, Smith posted a 1.66 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.94.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hilton Smith

Was Hilton Smith a pitcher?
Yes. Hilton Smith pitched in the major leagues, recording 71 wins and 628 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Hilton Smith hit?
Hilton Smith hit 6 career home runs with 163 hits.
Is Hilton Smith in the Hall of Fame?
Yes. Hilton Smith was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
What teams did Hilton Smith play for?
Hilton Smith played for 3 teams: the Monroe Monarchs (1932), the Kansas City Monarchs (1936–1948), and the Chicago American Giants (1937).
What awards did Hilton Smith win?
Hilton Smith was selected to 6 All-Star Games.
What were Hilton Smith's career stats?
In 170 games, Hilton Smith went 71-38 with a 2.93 ERA, 628 strikeouts, 975.1 innings pitched, and 16 saves. At the plate he had 163 hits and 6 home runs.
What position did Hilton Smith play?
Hilton Smith played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Hilton Smith and how much did he weigh?
Hilton Smith was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 180 pounds.
What was Hilton Smith's career ERA?
Hilton Smith finished with a 2.93 career ERA, going 71-38 with 628 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Hilton Smith have?
Hilton Smith recorded 628 career strikeouts.
How many All-Star Games did Hilton Smith make?
Hilton Smith was selected to 6 All-Star Games.