Lee Smith Position: Pitcher Bats: Right • Throws: Right 6-5, 220lb (196cm, 99kg) Born: December 4, 1957 in Jamestown, LA Draft: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round of the 1975 MLB June Amateur Draft from Castor HS (Castor, LA). High School: Castor HS (Castor, LA) School: Northwestern State University of Louisiana (Natchitoches, LA) Debut: September 1, 1980 (14,361st in major league history) vs. ATL 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 SO, 2…
The results of the Veterans Committee voting for the 2019 Hall of Fame Election are announced: relief pitcher Lee Smith is a unanimous selection, and OF/DH Harold Baines joins him by being named on 12 of the 16 ballots. Lou Piniella falls just short, with 11 votes. While Smith’s election had been widely anticipated, that of Baines comes as a surprise, given that he had done quite poorly in the original BBWAA voting.
Andre Dawson, an outfielder with the Expos and Cubs, becomes the 203rd player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Joining ‘Hawk’ in Cooperstown are former manager Whitey Herzog, major league ump Doug Harvey, broadcaster Jon Miller, and baseball writer Bill Madden.
On September 24, 2006, As the Petco Park sellout crowd roars, Trevor Hoffman retires all three Pittsburgh batters he faces in the ninth inning, ensuring a 2-1 San Diego victory. The Padres closer’s 479th career save surpasses Lee Smith’s total (1980-1997), making the 38 year-old reliever the all-time leader in saves.
2000 – Staying with his hometown New York Mets, John Franco signs a nearly $11 million three-year pact as a set-up man, foregoing an opportunity with the Philadelphia Phillies to pick up the 59 saves he needs to break Lee Smith’s career saves record of 478.
1998 – Veteran reliever Lee Smith and third baseman Terry Pendleton sign minor league contracts with the Kansas City Royals, who invite them to spring training as non-roster players.
Lee Smith becomes the third hurler in major league history to give up two game-ending grand slams in the same season when Albert Belle goes yard, giving the Indians a dramatic 7-5 victory over the Angels at Jacobs Field. At the end of last month, the 37 year-old closer yielded a walk-off four-run round-tripper to A’s slugger Mark McGwire.
California Angels sign pitcher Lee Smith to a free agent contract
At the Pirates’ Three Rivers Stadium, the National League ends its record six-game Mid Summer Classic slump when Tony Gwynn scores on Moises Alou’s double in the tenth inning, giving the Senior Circuit an 8-7 victory. Fred McGriff is named MVP, earning the honor with his dramatic two-run home run off Lee Smith that tied the game in the bottom of the ninth.
1990 – Franklin Stubbs is the offense as Houston trips the Cardinals in 11 innings, 3-2. Stubbs doubles home Eric Yelding in the first inning, smashes a solo shot off Lee Smith in the ninth, then singles off Frank DiPino in the 11th. He steals second then scores on a base hit by Mark Davidson. Stubbs’ four hits account for half of the Astros’ output.
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