Smoky Burgess

Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess (February 6, 1927 – September 15, 1991) was an American professional baseball catcher, pinch hitter, coach, and scout who played in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1967. Born in Caroleen, North Carolina, he was the son of Lloyd Luther Burgess and Ocie (Lewis) Burgess. His father worked in textiles and was a standout semi-professional baseball player. Burgess attended Tri-High School in Caroleen, where he played under coach Forrest Hunt, a former catcher in the New York Yankees minor league system who taught him to be an aggressive hitter. He also played American Legion baseball.

Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed, and stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 245 pounds. Over his major league career he was selected as an All-Star in six seasons, appearing on the National League team for nine All-Star games. He led NL catchers in fielding percentage three times. Later in his career, he became known for his abilities as an elite pinch hitter, setting the major league career record for pinch-hits with 144. Following his playing days, he also worked as a coach and scout. A statue of Burgess was unveiled in his hometown on November 9, 2024.