Syd Smith
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1908-1915)
Syd Smith was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1915 for 4 teams, including the Philadelphia Athletics, a span of 8 seasons. In 146 career games, he hit .247 with 98 hits, 2 home runs, and 40 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 190 lb
- Died
- 6/5/1961 in Orangeburg, SC, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1908-04-14
- Last Game
- 1915-04-18
Full name: Sydney A. Smith
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146 | 397 | 24 | 98 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 22 | 29 | .247 | .291 | .320 | .611 | -367 |
Career AVG .247 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .291 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — 8.7% below league average.
Career SLG .320 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .611 vs. league average .652 across their career seasons — 6.3% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | PHA | AL | 46 | 128 | 8 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 10 | .203 | .240 (-16%) | .298 (-22%) | .306 (-6%) | .605 (-14%) | -275.1 |
| 1908 | SLA | AL | 27 | 76 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 | .184 | .240 (-23%) | .298 (-25%) | .306 (-23%) | .605 (-24%) | -275.1 |
| 1910 | CLE | AL | 9 | 27 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1911 | CLE | AL | 58 | 154 | 8 | 46 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 11 | 10 | .299 | .266 (+12%) | .336 (+5%) | .356 (+7%) | .693 (+6%) | 163.0 |
| 1914 | PIT | NL | 5 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .273 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1915 | PIT | NL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 146 | 397 | 24 | 98 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 22 | 29 | .247 | — | — | — | — | -387 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (147 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 86 | 227 | 12 | 60 | 0 | 18 | .264 |
| Away | 61 | 172 | 12 | 38 | 2 | 18 | .221 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915-04-18 | PIT | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914-10-05 | PIT | CIN | W | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914-10-04 | PIT | CIN | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914-10-04 | PIT | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914-10-02 | PIT | CIN | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914-10-01 | PIT | CIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1911-09-12 | CLE | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911-09-04 | CLE | CHW | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911-09-04 | CLE | CHW | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911-09-02 | CLE | CHW | W | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 115 |
| First Base | 7 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Center Field | 1 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina | Columbia | SC | 1902, 1903 |
Syd Smith: the record in brief
According to the bio, Syd Smith debuted on April 14, 1908 and played a final game on April 18, 1915. Smith played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1908), the St. Louis Browns (1908), the Cleveland Naps (1910 through 1911), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1914 to 1915). Smith, born on August 31, 1883, in Smithville, SC, USA, is listed as a catcher and batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 5 feet, 10 inches and 190 pounds. Smith died on June 5, 1961, in Orangeburg, SC, USA. The given name on file is Sydney A. Smith.
Smith's career batting table shows 146 games, 397 at bats and 98 hits, a .247 average, plus 2 homers and 40 runs batted in. Smith got on base at a .291 rate and slugged .320 (.611 OPS). Against a .253 league average for those years, Smith's .247 average was near the norm. By OPS the gap is 6.3% below league average (.611 against .652). Smith collected a career-high 46 hits in 1911. Smith drove in a season-high 21 runs in 1911.
Frequently Asked Questions about Syd Smith
- What years did Syd Smith play?
- Syd Smith played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1915.
- Was Syd Smith a pitcher?
- No. Syd Smith was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Syd Smith hit?
- Syd Smith hit 2 career home runs with 98 hits.
- What was Syd Smith's career batting average?
- Syd Smith batted .247 over his career, with 98 hits in 397 at bats.
- How many RBI did Syd Smith have?
- Syd Smith drove in 40 runs in his career.
- Is Syd Smith in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Syd Smith has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.