Theolic Smith
| Theolic Smith | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: May 19, 1913 Wabbaseka, Arkansas, U.S. | |
| Died: November 3, 1981 (aged 68) Compton, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Both Threw: Right | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1935, for the Claybrook Tigers | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1943, for the Cleveland Buckeyes | |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
Theolic Smith (May 19, 1913 – November 3, 1981), nicknamed "Fireball", was an American professional baseball pitcher in the Negro leagues in the 1930s and 1940s.
A native of Wabbaseka, Arkansas, Smith was raised in Jefferson County, AR.[1] He later moved to St. Louis, Missouri as a teenager and attended Vashon High School.[2] He made his Negro league debut in 1936, playing for the Arkansas Claybrook Tigers, a team owned by John Claybrook and managed by Eggie Hensley.[1][3] After he gained attention for his performance at the North-South All-Star Game in Memphis, Smith was invited to join the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1936. Unable to maintain the same consistency in Pittsburgh, he rotated between starting as pitcher and relieving.[1] He was finally named starting pitcher for the first 1939 East–West All-Star Game. Smith also played for the Almendares in the Cuban League from 1938-1939[1] and for the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League from 1952-1955.[4]
He died in Compton, California in 1981 at age 68. He was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Compton.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d "Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia | Theolic Smith". Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
- ^ "Theolic Smith". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ "Claybrook Tigers". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
- ^ "Theolic Smith". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ Jackson-Fossett, Cora (February 2, 2022). "Praises to God Highlight Grand Opening of Woodlawn Celestial Gardens". Los Angeles Sentinel.
External links
- Career statistics from MLB · Baseball Reference · Baseball Reference (Minors) and Seamheads
- Theolic Smith at Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia