Tom Smith (baseball coach, born 1942)

Last updated
Tom Smith
Biographical details
Born (1942-12-09) December 9, 1942 (age 80)
Coldwater, Michigan
Alma mater Michigan State University
Playing career
1962 Dublin Braves
Position(s) Catcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1964–1982 Michigan State (asst.)
1983–1995Michigan State
Head coaching record
Overall377–332–2
TournamentsB1G: 4–10
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
  • 2× Big Ten Coach of the Year (1988, 1992)

Thomas Woodrow Smith (born December 9, 1942) is a former American college baseball coach and catcher. He played professional baseball in 1962, before retiring due to injury. He was the head baseball coach at Michigan State University from 1983 to 1995.

Contents

Playing career

Smith attended Coldwater High School in Coldwater, Michigan, where he played baseball, basketball and football. On August 17, 1961, it was reported that Smith had signed a professional baseball contract with the Milwaukee Braves. [1] Smith began his professional career with the Dublin Braves of the Georgia–Florida League, where he hit .243 with 3 home runs and 35 RBIs. Following an injury plagued 1963 season, Smith turned down a contract from the Los Angeles Angels and retired from professional baseball. [2]

Coaching career

Smith worked as a student assistant under Danny Litwhiler until he completed his degree. In 1967, he worked as the freshman coach as well as an assistant with the varsity. On March 12, 1982, Smith was promoted to head coach after Litwhiler announced his retirement. [3]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten Conference)(1983–1995)
1983 Michigan State 22–328–62nd (East) Big Ten Tournament
1984 Michigan State 32–268–92nd (East) Big Ten Tournament
1985 Michigan State 22–352–145th (East)
1986 Michigan State 28–26–17–9T-3rd (East)
1987 Michigan State 34–206–104th (East)
1988 Michigan State 41–2016–123rd Big Ten Tournament
1989 Michigan State 25–2613–157th
1990 Michigan State 28–2413–157th
1991 Michigan State 28–25–112–168th
1992 Michigan State 36–1917–113rd Big Ten Tournament
1993 Michigan State 31–2312–16T-8th
1994 Michigan State 26–2913–15T-3rd Big Ten Tournament
1995 Michigan State 24–2712–16T-8th
Michigan State:377–332–2139–164
Total:377–332–2

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Devaney</span> American football player and coach (1915–1997)

Robert Simon Devaney was a college football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Wyoming from 1957 to 1961 and at the University of Nebraska from 1962 to 1972, compiling a career record of 136–30–7 (.806). Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers won consecutive national championships in 1970 and 1971 and three consecutive Orange Bowls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Izzo</span> American basketball player and coach

Tom Izzo ; born January 30, 1955) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach at Michigan State University since 1995. On April 4, 2016, Izzo was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom House</span> American baseball player and coach

Thomas Ross House is a former left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, as well as an author and a pitching coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Thomas (baseball)</span> American baseball player and executive (1936–2022)

James Leroy Thomas was an American first baseman and right fielder, coach and front-office executive in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1961 to 1968, most notably the Los Angeles Angels, then went on to a successful tenure as general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. Traded to the Angels one month after the expansion franchise began play in 1961, he tied for third in Rookie of the Year voting after batting .285 with 24 home runs and 70 runs batted in (RBI), primarily playing in the outfield. The following year, he was named to the American League (AL) All-Star team after shifting to first base, and appeared in both All-Star games played that year as a pinch hitter and late-inning defensive replacement. He finished the year with career highs in batting (.290), home runs (26) and RBI (104), but a sharp decline in 1963 led to his being traded to the Boston Red Sox in mid-1964, the first of four trades before the 1968 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Thomas (baseball)</span> American baseball player

George Edward Thomas Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player. Primarily an outfielder, he played at least one game at every position except pitcher during a 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels (1961–63), Boston Red Sox (1966–71) and Minnesota Twins (1971). He also was an assistant coach (1972–78) and head baseball coach (1979–81) at his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, after his active career ended. The native of Minneapolis threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tates Locke</span> American former basketball coach (born 1937)

Taylor "Tates" Locke is an American former basketball coach.

John Lawrence Smith is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, a position he held from 2016 until he was fired by the university in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merv Rettenmund</span> American baseball player

Mervin Weldon Rettenmund is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1968 through 1980, most notably as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won three consecutive American League pennants from 1969 to 1971 and, won the World Series in 1970. Rettenmund also won world championships as a player for the Cincinnati Reds and, as a coach for the Oakland Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Popp</span>

James Thomas Popp is an American sports executive and coach currently working as the United States Football League (USFL) as the Director of Player Administration. He was previously a running back coach and assistant head coach for the Alabama State Hornets. He worked extensively in the Canadian Football League, and was most recently the general manager of the Toronto Argonauts. Popp spent over two decades as General Manager of the Montreal Alouettes including several stints as Head Coach. Popp has also had roles with the Baltimore Stallions, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. As a CFL general manager, three separate franchises under Popp have won five Grey Cup championship wins out of 11 appearances.

Harry Dominic Chiti is an American former professional baseball player, coach, scout and farm system official. In Major League Baseball, he has worked as bullpen coach of the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Angels. He is a former left-handed pitcher in the minor leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Litwhiler</span> American baseball player (1916-2011)

Daniel Webster Litwhiler was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1940 to 1951 for the Boston Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds. He was the first Major League Baseball player to have an error-free season. That same season, 1942, he also became the first player to stitch together the fingers of his glove. After his playing career, he continued to work in baseball as a coach in college sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Duncan</span> American baseball player & coach

Eric Anthony Duncan is an American former professional baseball second baseman and quality control coach for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Considered an excellent high school baseball player, Duncan was chosen by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2003 MLB draft, and became one of the best prospects in baseball. However, injuries and ineffectiveness in minor league baseball prevented Duncan from reaching MLB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Mather</span> American baseball player & coach

Joseph Paul Mather is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current coach. He is the hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously was a coach for the Cincinnati Reds. He played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Seminoles baseball</span> Florida State University baseball team

The Florida State Seminoles baseball team represents Florida State University in the sport of college baseball. Florida State competes in NCAA Division I, and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Saint Joseph's competes as well as part of the Philadelphia Big 5. Their home court is the Hagan Arena. The team is coached by Billy Lange, who was hired on March 28, 2019, after Phil Martelli was fired as head coach on March 19, 2019, after 24 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Boggs</span> American baseball player (1955–2022)

Thomas Winton Boggs was an American professional baseball player and college baseball coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Texas Rangers and the Atlanta Braves (1978–1983).

Herbert Anthony Adderley was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). In 1980, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ivan Edward "Pete" Bigler was a Major League Baseball player. Bigler appeared for the St. Louis Browns in one game on May 6, 1917 as a pinch runner. In the minor leagues he played outfield and third base. He attended Juniata College and Springfield College. He is a member of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Athletic Hall of Fame.

Gerard Anthony Palmieri is an American football strength and conditioning coach. Palmieri most recently served on Tom Coughlin's staff for the New York Giants, a position he served in for 12 seasons. During those years, the Giants won Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI. Palmieri was also on Tom Coughlin's staff with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995 to 2002 when their teams competed in two AFC Championship Games. Palmieri spent 2003 as an assistant strength & conditioning coach for the New Orleans Saints. Prior to his NFL career he held head strength coach positions at Boston College from 1993 to 1994, where he served under Tom Coughlin and Dan Henning respectively, and at Kansas State from 1987 to 1992 where he was a part of the Bill Snyder transformation of the team. Palmieri began his strength & conditioning career as a part-time strength coach while he earned his master's degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1982 to 1983, and then an assistant strength & conditioning coach at Oklahoma State University from 1984 to 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Mee</span>

Cory Thomas Mee is an American college baseball coach and former third baseman, who is the current associate head baseball coach and catching coach for the Western Michigan Broncos. Mee grew up in Hilton, New York and graduated from Hilton High School in 1988. He played college baseball at the University of Notre Dame from 1989 to 1992, before playing professionally for the Yakima Bears in 1992. He served as the head coach at the University of Toledo from 2004 to 2019.

References

  1. "Coldwater's Tom Smith Turns Pro". www.newspapers.com. Battle Creek Enquirer. August 17, 1961. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  2. "Thomas W. Smith Endowed Scholarship in Kinesiology". www.education.msu.edu. Michigan State University. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  3. "Michigan State assistant baseball coach Tom Smith has been..." www.upi.com. United Press International, Inc. March 12, 1982. Retrieved November 30, 2019.