Pop Smith

Charles Marvin Smith

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut May 1, 1880
• Final Game June 9, 1891
• Born October 12, 1856 in Digby, NS CAN
• Died April 18, 1927 in Boston, MA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

1887 Buchner Gold Coin card of Smith

Middle infielder Charles "Pop" Smith played 12 seasons in the big leagues. He is one of the few players who was in the American Association during both the first year of its existence (1882) and also the last year of its existence (1891). In spite of that, he played more games in the National League than in the American Association.

Smith was born in Nova Scotia and was one of the first ten Canadians to come to the big leagues. He, Bill Phillips, Arthur Irwin and George Wood were all Canadians who broke into the majors during 1879 or 1880 and all went on to have over 4,000 major league at-bats.

He played minor league ball in the Northeastern U.S. during 1877-79 and came to the majors in 1880. After spending 1880-81 in the National League, he moved to the new American Association in 1882, where he stayed through 1886. He played with the 1886 Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and when the team moved to the 1887 National League, he stayed with them. He was in the National League through 1890, and then went back to the American Association in its last year in 1891.

Smith wasn't done, though - he played in the minors through 1899 at age 42. In 1895 he was with the Binghamton Crickets, harking back to a previous team in 1877 he had played for which was called the Binghamton Cricket.

In addition to playing, Smith also managed in 1892 and 1899. He was also an umpire, working a total of 34 games, starting in one game in the National League in 1876, 9 games in 1881, 23 games in the American Association in 1882 and one more in 1886. That first umpiring credit was as a 20-year-old, a full four years before he reached the majors himself.

His best major league season, at least with the bat, was 1883, when he led the league in triples and was eighth in OPS+. He also led the league in hit-by-pitch in 1887.

He is not to be confused with Pop-boy Smith.

Notable Achievements

• AA Triples Leader (1883)

Related Sites

• Pop Smith at the SABR Bio Project