Earl Smith (coach)
Encyclopedia
Norman Earl Smith is an American former coach of many sports at Campbell University
and also a basketball and baseball coach at East Carolina University
. Smith attended East Carolina and participated in baseball, basketball, and football from his sophomore year through his senior year. He is currently living in Fayetteville, North Carolina
.
He graduated in 1939 and later became a football, basketball, baseball, tennis and cross country coach at Campbell University. Under Smith's guidance, Campbell won three straight North Carolina Junior College football championships (1946–48). He also led the 1948–49 and 1951–52 basketball teams an overall record of 29–20 including the junior college national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas
.
In 1959, Smith returned to ECU to become head coach of the Pirates basketball team. He led the team to a record of 53–40 in his four years of coaching.
In 1963, after finishing his basketball coaching career, Smith turned to the ECU baseball team
. He led them to a very impressive record of 185–103–2 in nine years. Of those 186 victories, the team finished first place in the Southern Conference in four consecutive years (1966–70). Coach Smith has baseball's third highest winning percentage at .642.
He was inducted into the Pirate Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Campbell University Athletics Hall of Fame in April 1986.
Smith later became a professional baseball scout for the San Diego Padres
.
Campbell University
Campbell University is a coeducational, church-related university in rural North Carolina, USA. Its main campus is located in the community of Buies Creek; its law school moved from Buies Creek to a new campus in the state capital of Raleigh in 2009. Campbell has an approximately equal number of...
and also a basketball and baseball coach at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. Smith attended East Carolina and participated in baseball, basketball, and football from his sophomore year through his senior year. He is currently living in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
.
He graduated in 1939 and later became a football, basketball, baseball, tennis and cross country coach at Campbell University. Under Smith's guidance, Campbell won three straight North Carolina Junior College football championships (1946–48). He also led the 1948–49 and 1951–52 basketball teams an overall record of 29–20 including the junior college national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
.
In 1959, Smith returned to ECU to become head coach of the Pirates basketball team. He led the team to a record of 53–40 in his four years of coaching.
In 1963, after finishing his basketball coaching career, Smith turned to the ECU baseball team
East Carolina Pirates baseball
The East Carolina Pirates baseball team is an intercollegiate baseball team representing East Carolina University in NCAA Division I college baseball and has made regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament, but as of 2010 has yet to appear in the College World Series.East Carolina participates as a...
. He led them to a very impressive record of 185–103–2 in nine years. Of those 186 victories, the team finished first place in the Southern Conference in four consecutive years (1966–70). Coach Smith has baseball's third highest winning percentage at .642.
He was inducted into the Pirate Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Campbell University Athletics Hall of Fame in April 1986.
Smith later became a professional baseball scout for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.