Germany Smith

Germany Smith
Germany Smith
	1895 baseball card of Smith
	Shortstop
	Born: April 21, 1863; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
	Died: December 1, 1927 (aged 64); Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	April 17, 1884, for the Altoona Mountain City
Last MLB appearance
	October 9, 1898, for the St. Louis Browns
MLB statistics
Batting average	.243
Home runs	47
Runs batted in	800
Teams
	Altoona Mountain City (1884); Cleveland Blues (1884); Brooklyn Grays / Bridegrooms (1885–1890); Cincinnati Reds (1891–1896); Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1897); St. Louis Browns (1898);

George J. "Germany" Smith (April 21, 1863 – December 1, 1927) was an American Major League Baseball player from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Primarily a shortstop, Smith played for five teams in 15 seasons. He made his major league debut for Altoona Mountain City of the Union Association in 1884. After Altoona's team folded after just 25 games, he jumped to the Cleveland Blues of the National League. After the 1884 season, Cleveland then sold him, along with six other players, to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms for $4000.^[1]

On June 17, 1885, Smith reportedly committed seven errors intentionally when his team decided to punish new pitcher Phenomenal Smith, losing the game 18–5. All 18 runs against the brash left-hander were unearned‚ due to a total of 14 Brooklyn "errors". "Phenomenal" gave himself his nickname before he joined the team‚ saying that he was so good that he did not need his teammates to win. The intentional misplays of his teammates caused club President Lynch to fine the guilty players $500 each‚ but he reluctantly agreed to release "Phenomenal" to ensure team harmony.^[2]

A reliable shortstop in the days when a fielding average below .900 could lead the league, Smith did lead the American Association in 1887 with an .886 average.^[1] When the AA folded in 1890, Smith and most of his teammates transferred to the National League's new Brooklyn franchise. In 1891, John Montgomery Ward took over as manager and shortstop, effectively ending Smith's career with Brooklyn, so he left and joined the Cincinnati Reds. There he led NL shortstops in assists each year from 1891 to 1894. Smith later returned in 1897, when Cincinnati and Brooklyn traded shortstops, with Tommy Corcoran moving to the Reds.^[1]

Smith's major league career came to an end after the 1898 season, when he played just 51 games for the St. Louis Browns.^[1] He moved on to play for the minor league Minneapolis Millers for the 1899 and 1900 seasons.^[3]

Smith died at the age of 64 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, from injuries when struck by a motorist,^[4] and is interred at Calvary Cemetery in Altoona.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Germany Smith's career stats". retrosheet.org. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
^ "Germany Smith". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
^ "Minneapolis Miller history". stewthornley.net. Retrieved February 13, 2008.
^ "Germany Smith Dead". The New York Times. December 2, 1927. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2008.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
Germany Smith at Find a Grave

[retrosheet-1] "Germany Smith's career stats". retrosheet.org. Retrieved February 13, 2008.

[punish-2] "Germany Smith". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved February 13, 2008.

[millers-3] "Minneapolis Miller history". stewthornley.net. Retrieved February 13, 2008.

[obit-4] "Germany Smith Dead". The New York Times. December 2, 1927. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2008.

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