Hal Smith

Harold Wayne Smith (December 7, 1930 – January 9, 2020) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 879 games in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1964, primarily as a catcher but also as a third baseman and first baseman. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.83 m) tall, and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg).

Smith was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees in 1949 but never played for the club. After the 1954 season he was included in a 17-player trade to the Baltimore Orioles, one of the largest in Major League annals. He made his big-league debut as Baltimore's starting catcher on Opening Day 1955, going hitless in three at bats against Bob Porterfield of the Washington Senators. A week into the season, the Associated Press named him one of the eight best rookies of 1955, noting that he had collected four hits in his first ten at bats. He appeared in a career-high 135 games as a rookie.

Over his career Smith played for five different Major League teams. He is most notable for his role during the 1960 World Series as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.