Clay Smith (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Clay Jamieson Smith was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played for two seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians
for four games in 1938 and the Detroit Tigers
for 14 games in 1940. He pitched in the 1940 World Series
, posting an ERA of 2.25 in the Series.
Smith was born and died in Cambridge, KS, in southeastern Kansas. He is one of three major leaguers (through 2009) out of Southwestern College in Winfield, KS, in the same county as Cambridge. He was on the baseball, wrestling and track teams in college.
He began pitching in the minors with Fargo-Moorhead in 1935-36, going 15-5 in 1936. After posting a 16-13 record in 1937 for Springfield, he went 8-14 in 1938 for Wilkes-Barre with a decent 3.35 ERA. The pitcher at Wilkes-Barre with the best ERA was Charley Suche, who had also been at Fargo-Moorhead in 1935.
Clay made his major league debut on September 13, 1938, and pitched four games for the 1938 Cleveland Indians that year. He made his debut on September 18, in his only major league appearance.
Smith spent 1939 at Buffalo, where he went 13-11. A teammate was the 21-year-old Lou Boudreau, who hit .331. Smith led the team in victories.
The Detroit Tigers purchased Smith and sent him to Beaumont for the 1940 season, where he posted a 12-5 record. He also appeared in 14 games with the 1940 Tigers, and then pitched four innings in Game 4 of the 1940 World Series.
During 1941-43 he was with St. Paul each season.
After baseball he was a rancher and mail carrier. He had a farm north of Cambridge and retired from farming in 1985.
He is in the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played for two seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for four games in 1938 and the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for 14 games in 1940. He pitched in the 1940 World Series
1940 World Series
The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in...
, posting an ERA of 2.25 in the Series.
Smith was born and died in Cambridge, KS, in southeastern Kansas. He is one of three major leaguers (through 2009) out of Southwestern College in Winfield, KS, in the same county as Cambridge. He was on the baseball, wrestling and track teams in college.
He began pitching in the minors with Fargo-Moorhead in 1935-36, going 15-5 in 1936. After posting a 16-13 record in 1937 for Springfield, he went 8-14 in 1938 for Wilkes-Barre with a decent 3.35 ERA. The pitcher at Wilkes-Barre with the best ERA was Charley Suche, who had also been at Fargo-Moorhead in 1935.
Clay made his major league debut on September 13, 1938, and pitched four games for the 1938 Cleveland Indians that year. He made his debut on September 18, in his only major league appearance.
Smith spent 1939 at Buffalo, where he went 13-11. A teammate was the 21-year-old Lou Boudreau, who hit .331. Smith led the team in victories.
The Detroit Tigers purchased Smith and sent him to Beaumont for the 1940 season, where he posted a 12-5 record. He also appeared in 14 games with the 1940 Tigers, and then pitched four innings in Game 4 of the 1940 World Series.
During 1941-43 he was with St. Paul each season.
After baseball he was a rancher and mail carrier. He had a farm north of Cambridge and retired from farming in 1985.
He is in the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.