Ken Smith (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Earl Smith is a former major league baseball player who served as a reserve first baseman for the Atlanta Braves
between 1981 and 1983.
Smith was born in Youngstown, Ohio
, where he gained early recognition as a star athlete at the city's East High School
. In 1976, he garnered national attention when he became the Atlanta Braves' No. 1 selection in the free agent draft. Following a spring training that produced a .400 average, Smith was assigned to a Class A club in Greenwood, South Carolina
, in the Western Carolinas League
.
and spent an additional two years with a Class AAA club in Richmond
.
. He often found himself in transit from Richmond to Atlanta. In 1982, Smith batted .293 in a pinch-hitting role for the Braves. He spent his final season with the Braves.
On October 20, 1983, Smith was granted free agency. He re-signed with the Braves to a minor league contract and played two more seasons in the Braves organization. After spending the 1986 season playing in the Baltimore Orioles
organization, his professional baseball playing career ended.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
between 1981 and 1983.
Smith was born in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, where he gained early recognition as a star athlete at the city's East High School
East High School (Youngstown, Ohio)
East High School is a public high school in the city of Youngstown, Ohio, United States. It had its first school year in fall 2007 since 1998, when a previous incarnation of the school closed. The original school was open from 1925 to 1998 when it was converted to a middle school and closed...
. In 1976, he garnered national attention when he became the Atlanta Braves' No. 1 selection in the free agent draft. Following a spring training that produced a .400 average, Smith was assigned to a Class A club in Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
, in the Western Carolinas League
Western Carolinas League
The Western Carolinas League was a Class D and a low Class A full-season league in American minor league baseball. The WCL changed its name prior to the 1980 season and has been known since as the South Atlantic League, a highly successful low Class A circuit with teams up the Eastern Seaboard...
.
Minor league career
At Greenwood, Smith earned a batting average of .369 in 1977. Club manager Bobby Dews assessed Smith's performance as follows: "Kenny Smith is one of our top prospects in our minor league organization. And, he's a sure bet to make it to the parent Atlanta Braves if he continues to display the desire and determination that has him hitting at a .369 figure right now." Between 1978 and 1979, Smith played for an Atlanta Braves Class AA farm team in SavannahSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
and spent an additional two years with a Class AAA club in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Major league career
Smith joined the Braves in 1981 and saw action in three regular season games. During spring training of 1982, he batted over .300 and looked forward to playing with the Braves in the upcoming season. In April of that year, however, Smith was optioned to Richmond after Atlanta obtained first baseman-outfielder Bob Watson from the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He often found himself in transit from Richmond to Atlanta. In 1982, Smith batted .293 in a pinch-hitting role for the Braves. He spent his final season with the Braves.
On October 20, 1983, Smith was granted free agency. He re-signed with the Braves to a minor league contract and played two more seasons in the Braves organization. After spending the 1986 season playing in the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
organization, his professional baseball playing career ended.