Billy Smith (smithbi05)

Billy Edward Smith

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2½", Weight 185 lb.
• School Mt. San Antonio College
• High School John Jay High School (San Antonio)
• Debut April 13, 1975
• Final Game September 24, 1981
• Born July 14, 1953 in Hodge, LA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Billy Smith had career highs of 6 home runs and 33 RBI as the backup second baseman for the pennant-winning 1979 Baltimore Orioles. His OPS+ that year was 102 in just under 200 ABs. He was also the regular second baseman for the Orioles in 1977.

Smith was born in Hodge, LA in north-central Louisiana. He attended high school in San Antonio, TX and was drafted in the third round of the 1971 amateur draft. Primarily a shortstop in the minors, Billy moved up the California Angels organization from 1971 to 1976, showing some speed and sometimes hitting over .300. In 1975, he made his major league debut, appearing in 59 games for the Angels under manager Dick Williams. He was in 13 more games with the Angels in 1976, hitting .375.

Billy signed as a free agent with the Orioles before 1977 and was in the majors for all of 1977 to 1979. He primarily played second base for the Orioles, being listed as the regular second baseman his first season, on a team which won 97 games. He was two years older than DH Eddie Murray. Rich Dauer became the regular second baseman for the Orioles in 1978, but Billy continued to have over 200 plate appearances each season as Dauer played some third base as well. In the 1979 World Series he had nine plate appearances with an OBP of .444.

He was released by the Orioles in April 1980 and signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in June. That year he appeared in 72 games for the Phillies' affiliate in Oklahoma City. He did not play with the big league club, missing a return to the World Series as the Phillies were World Champions in 1980. The San Francisco Giants bought him from the Phillies in March 1981 and he appeared in 36 games for them under manager Frank Robinson. He was ten years younger than regular second baseman Joe Morgan.

He is not to be confused with another Billy Smith, who pitched in the 1981 National League.

Related Sites

• Billy Smith at the SABR Bio Project