Ozzie Smith

Lore & Background

Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama; his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles, when he was six years old. While participating in childhood athletic activities, Smith possessed quick reflexes; he went on to play baseball at Locke High School in Los Angeles, then at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Drafted as an amateur player by the Padres, Smith made his major league debut in 1978. He quickly established himself as an outstanding fielder, and later became known for performing backflips on special occasions while taking his position at the beginning of a game.

Smith won his first Gold Glove Award in 1980 and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 1981. When Smith clashed with the Padres' owners, Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog flew to San Diego to persuade the shortstop that he would be an appreciated and core component of the St. Louis team. Herzog's overture worked; Smith was traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982. Upon joining the Cardinals, Smith helped the team win the 1982 World Series.

Three years later, his game-winning home run during Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series prompted broadcaster Jack Buck's 'Go crazy, folks!' play-by-play call. Despite a rotator cuff injury during the 1985 season, Smith posted career highs in multiple offensive categories in 1987. Smith continued to earn Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances annually until 1993. During the 1995 season, Smith had shoulder surgery and was out nearly three months.

After tension with his new manager Tony La Russa developed in 1996, Smith retired at season's end, and his uniform number (No. 1) was subsequently retired by the Cardinals. Smith served as host of the television show This Week in Baseball from 1997 to 1998. Smith was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002. He was also elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014.

Reader's Guide

Smith was traded to the Cardinals in 1982 (no no-trade clause was involved). He helped the team win the 1982 World Series that same year. He suffered a rotator cuff injury during the 1985 season, not a shoulder issue in 1986. He had shoulder surgery in 1995 and was out nearly three months; tension with Tony La Russa developed in 1996, leading to his retirement at season's end.

Did You Know?

• Smith learned to switch-hit from Cal Poly coach Berdy Harr.
• He was a teammate of future Hall-of-Famer Eddie Murray at Locke High School.
• He performed his first backflip for fans on Fan Appreciation Day in 1978.

The Wizard's Defensive Mastery

Smith is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time, winning the National League Gold Glove Award for 13 consecutive seasons. He made his major league debut in 1978 and quickly established himself as an outstanding fielder. Known for performing backflips on special occasions while taking his position at the beginning of a game, Smith won his first Gold Glove in 1980. His nickname "the Wizard of Oz" was used by the Yuma Daily Sun in March 1981, though he also became known simply as "the Wizard." In 1978, only 10 games into his rookie season, Smith made a notable play against the Atlanta Braves where he dove behind second base to catch a bad-hop ground ball and threw out Jeff Burroughs at first.

The Cardinals Era and Championship Glory

In 1982, after clashing with Padres owners, St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog flew to San Diego to persuade Smith to waive his no-trade clause. Smith was traded for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982. Upon joining the Cardinals, he helped the team win the 1982 World Series. Three years later, during Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series, Smith hit a game-winning home run that prompted broadcaster Jack Buck's "Go crazy, folks!" call. Despite a rotator cuff injury in 1985, Smith posted career highs in multiple offensive categories in 1987 and won the Silver Slugger Award that year. He continued to earn Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances annually until 1993. After shoulder surgery in 1995 and tension with manager Tony La Russa in 1996, Smith retired at the season's end. The Cardinals subsequently retired his uniform number (No. 1).

Roots in Watts and Athletic Foundations

Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama, on December 26, 1954. When he was six years old, his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles. His father worked as a sandblaster at Brookley Air Force Base before becoming a delivery truck driver for Safeway, while his mother became an aide at a nursing home and stressed the importance of education. At age 10 in 1965, Smith endured the Watts Riots with his family.

He developed quick reflexes by bouncing balls off concrete steps and doing flips into sawdust piles at a lumberyard. After attending Locke High School, where he played basketball with Marques Johnson and baseball with Eddie Murray, Smith attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, on a partial academic scholarship in 1974. There, he learned to switch-hit from coach Berdy Harr, took over the starting shortstop role after an injury to the starter, and set school records for career at-bats (754) and stolen bases (110) before graduating in 1977.