Ozzie Smith - At odds with current management

Baseball player, born in Mobile, Alabama, USA. In a career that began in 1978, he established himself as a fielding shortstop, playing for the San Diego Padres and the St Louis Cardinals. He was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith

"The Wizard of Oz"

Inducted as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals (1)

Year Inducted: 2002

First Year Elligible: 2002

St. Louis Cardinals — No. 1
Shortstop
Bats: Both	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
April 7, 1978 for the San Diego Padres
Selected MLB statistics (through 1996)
Batting average	.262
Stolen Bases	580
Gold Gloves	(13) 1980-1992
All-Star	(15) 1981-1992, 1994-1996
NLCS MVP	(1) 1985
Teams
San Diego Padres (1978-1981) St. Louis Cardinals (1982-1996)

Ozzie Smith (born Osborne Earl Smith on December 26, 1954 in Mobile, Alabama), is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball, a 13-time Gold Glove Award winner who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. However, Smith and the Tigers were unable to agree on contract parameters, and he went back into the draft pool the following season, where he was drafted in the 4th round by the San Diego Padres. The team reached the World Series again in 1985, thanks in large part to Smith's game-winning home run in the NLCS against Tom Niedenfuer of the Los Angeles Dodgers. A weak hitter early in his career, Smith never developed much power at the plate, but his hitting improved over the years, and his speed allowed him to serve as a competent leadoff hitter.

He is perhaps best known for his time playing for manager Whitey Herzog where players were known for being scrappy, continually pushing singles to doubles (and doubles to triples), stealing bases, playing aggressively, and continually pushing the opposing teams to catch them in the act.

Smith's greatest season came in 1987, when he had a .303 batting average, 43 stolen bases, 75 RBIs, 104 runs scored, and 40 doubles.

Smith is only the 37th of the 252 players elected to the Hall of Fame to be so honored in his first year of eligibility.

Ozzie Smith is remembered for his acrobatics in the field as a versatile shortstop, including this famous picture of him doing a back flip during a moment of elation. Smith himself called it "the toughest play I've ever had," and in an informal survey of big leaguers, most mentioned this play as the most amazing they have ever seen.

Shortly after his playing days were over, Smith took over for the late Mel Allen as the host of the long-running TV series This Week in Baseball.

At odds with current management

Following his retirement from baseball, Smith has refused to associate himself with the Cardinals, although he continues to make public appearances and embraces the franchise.