Vinnie Smith
Vinnie Smith | |
---|---|
Catcher / Umpire | |
Born: Richmond, Virginia | December 7, 1915|
Died: December 14, 1979 Virginia Beach, Virginia | (aged 64)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 10, 1941, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 27, 1946, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .259 |
Hits | 14 |
Runs batted in | 5 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Vincent Ambrose Smith (December 7, 1915 – December 14, 1979) was an American
During his playing days, the 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), 176 lb (80 kg) Smith threw and batted right-handed.Career
Smith's playing career began at the Class D level of
In his 16 MLB games played, Smooth collected 14
In Smith's later playing days, he was introduced to the umpiring profession. "While in his final playing season in the minors, the umpires failed to show up for a game due to transportation issues. Players were forced to fill in, and Smith was placed behind the plate. He enjoyed it and stuck with it, and he eventually returned to the majors in that role in 1957."[ Perhaps his biggest moments came as an umpire in the 1964 World Series between the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals... where he took a turn behind the plate in one of Bob Gibson's starts. He also was a fixture in the umpiring crews at Forbes Field - where he enjoyed a contentious relationship on the field with the great Roberto Clemente. Smith ejected Clemente on a 3rd base sliding out call, that sent Roberto into a tizzy... the picture was published in Life Magazine.
Death
Smith died in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on December 14, 1979.
References
- ISBN 978-1-4027-4771-7.
- ^ a b c "Vinnie Smith". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ISBN 0-89204-670-8.
- ^ "May 26, 1959, Pirates at Braves Play by Play and Box Score". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. May 26, 1959. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)