Robert Smith (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Robert E. "Ish" Smith, (born May 15, 1936)http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.html, is the former President of the International Baseball Federation
, which is the international governing body for the sport of baseball, and the United States Baseball Federation.
As President of the International Baseball Association from 1981 to 1993, he is the person most credited with getting the sport of baseball
accepted into the Olympic Games
as an official gold medal sport. For these efforts, he is a recipient of the Olympic Order
, the highest honor given by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC).
in Greenville, Illinois
in 1957 and went to work at the college a few years after graduation as a physical education
instructor and baseball coach, in 1961.http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.html
Smith began his work with the Olympics when he began to work on the United States Olympic Committee in 1977.
Smith was elected President of the United States Baseball Federation in 1980 (until 1989) and then quickly ascended to the presidency of the International Baseball Federation
/International Baseball Association (IBA) the following year at the Baseball World Cup held in Japan
.http://www.baseball.ch/2003/F/story/E5.html At the IBA's Congress in 1988, held in conjunction with the Nicaragua Baseball World Cup
, Smith was re-elected as President, and he held the office until 1993. That year, he was succeeded by Aldo Notari
of Italy
.http://www.baseball.ch/2003/F/story/E5.html
During Dr. Smith's time as international leader of amateur baseball, he coordinated 26 world baseball tournaments, continued to serve on the United States Olympic Committee
in varying capacities until 1990, and directed the baseball competitions at the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles
, 1988 in Seoul
, and 1992 in Barcelona
.
Smith is often acknowledged as being responsible for baseball becoming an official Olympic sport.http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.htmlhttp://www.anderson.edu/events/archive02/2002-01-16.html Baseball was allowed as a demonstration sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and Smith hoped that it would be played for medals in 1988 in Seoul.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E5DE1538F936A3575AC0A964948260 He and baseball's supporters in the effort did not make that goal, but nevertheless Smith's time as president was unique in that he saw the end to decades of work by baseball enthusiasts when the International Olympic Committee
decided to add baseball as an official sport of the Games for 1992. He oversaw the winning of the first-ever gold medal for baseball, won by Cuba
in Barcelona
in 1992.http://www.nysun.com/article/36810 The International Olympic Committee voted in 2006 to drop baseball and softball in the Olympics, beginning with the 2012 Games
in London
.
in southern Illinois.
Smith and his wife Joanna celebrated their 50th anniversary on August 30, 2007. The two had met as students at Greenville College in 1955 and married in San Diego in 1957.
Smith was elected to the NAIA
Hall of Fame as a baseball coach.http://www.i55i57clinic.com/stoecklin.html
The NAIA
Baseball Coaches Executive Committee created an award for baseball coaches and administrators, the "Robert E. Smith Achievement Award," with Smith as the first winner in 1999. The award honors "unselfish promotion of NAIA baseball" and is presented annually at the NAIA Baseball Hall of Fame and Honors Luncheon.http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/093005aaa.html
Ish has also won the Turley award, which is an award of service.
As a lasting reminder of his contributions to the college, Greenville College plays its baseball games on Robert E. Smith Field south of campus.
International Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
, which is the international governing body for the sport of baseball, and the United States Baseball Federation.
As President of the International Baseball Association from 1981 to 1993, he is the person most credited with getting the sport of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
accepted into the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
as an official gold medal sport. For these efforts, he is a recipient of the Olympic Order
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement, created by the International Olympic Committee in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate previously awarded. The Olympic Order originally had three grades , although the bronze grade was retired in 1984...
, the highest honor given by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC).
Baseball career
Smith graduated from Greenville CollegeGreenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
in Greenville, Illinois
Greenville, Illinois
Greenville is a city in Bond County, Illinois, United States, east of St. Louis. The estimated population as of July 2009 is 7,284. The population was 6,955 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bond County....
in 1957 and went to work at the college a few years after graduation as a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
instructor and baseball coach, in 1961.http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.html
Smith began his work with the Olympics when he began to work on the United States Olympic Committee in 1977.
Smith was elected President of the United States Baseball Federation in 1980 (until 1989) and then quickly ascended to the presidency of the International Baseball Federation
International Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
/International Baseball Association (IBA) the following year at the Baseball World Cup held in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.http://www.baseball.ch/2003/F/story/E5.html At the IBA's Congress in 1988, held in conjunction with the Nicaragua Baseball World Cup
World Cup of Baseball
The Baseball World Cup is an international tournament in which national baseball teams from around the world compete. It is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation . Along with the World Baseball Classic, it is one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world...
, Smith was re-elected as President, and he held the office until 1993. That year, he was succeeded by Aldo Notari
Aldo Notari
Aldo Notari was the president of the International Baseball Federation from 1993 to 2006.-References:...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.http://www.baseball.ch/2003/F/story/E5.html
During Dr. Smith's time as international leader of amateur baseball, he coordinated 26 world baseball tournaments, continued to serve on the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
in varying capacities until 1990, and directed the baseball competitions at the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, 1988 in Seoul
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, and 1992 in Barcelona
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
Smith is often acknowledged as being responsible for baseball becoming an official Olympic sport.http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.htmlhttp://www.anderson.edu/events/archive02/2002-01-16.html Baseball was allowed as a demonstration sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and Smith hoped that it would be played for medals in 1988 in Seoul.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E5DE1538F936A3575AC0A964948260 He and baseball's supporters in the effort did not make that goal, but nevertheless Smith's time as president was unique in that he saw the end to decades of work by baseball enthusiasts when the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
decided to add baseball as an official sport of the Games for 1992. He oversaw the winning of the first-ever gold medal for baseball, won by Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 1992.http://www.nysun.com/article/36810 The International Olympic Committee voted in 2006 to drop baseball and softball in the Olympics, beginning with the 2012 Games
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Greenville College presidency
Smith served as a key development officer for Greenville College before being hired as Vice President for Institutional Advancement. While serving in that capacity, Smith was chosen by the GC Board of Trustees as the ninth President of Greenville College.http://www.greenville.edu/backup///publications/news/ishretire.html He retired in 1998 and has since worked with the Fellowship of Christian AthletesFellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
in southern Illinois.
Smith and his wife Joanna celebrated their 50th anniversary on August 30, 2007. The two had met as students at Greenville College in 1955 and married in San Diego in 1957.
Honors
Dr. Smith was given the Olympic Order, the highest honor given by the International Olympic Committee, for his efforts to bring gold medal baseball to fruition. It is awarded to "any person who has illustrated the Olympic ideal through his action, has achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world or has rendered outstanding services to the Olympic Movement, either through his own personal achievement or his own contribution to the development of sport.”http://www.olympics.com.au/index.cfm?p=53Smith was elected to the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Hall of Fame as a baseball coach.http://www.i55i57clinic.com/stoecklin.html
The NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Baseball Coaches Executive Committee created an award for baseball coaches and administrators, the "Robert E. Smith Achievement Award," with Smith as the first winner in 1999. The award honors "unselfish promotion of NAIA baseball" and is presented annually at the NAIA Baseball Hall of Fame and Honors Luncheon.http://naia.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/093005aaa.html
Ish has also won the Turley award, which is an award of service.
As a lasting reminder of his contributions to the college, Greenville College plays its baseball games on Robert E. Smith Field south of campus.