Rex Smith

Reginald Smith born Henry W. Schmidt

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 10", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut May 31, 1886
• Final Game July 11, 1886
• Born January 4, 1861 in Louisville, KY USA
• Died June 21, 1895 in Louisville, KY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Rex Smith was long known to have pitched one game for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association on July 11, 1886. In 2010, it was discovered that he was also the unknown Smith who had pitched one game with the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the same league on May 31 of the same year.

That first appearance was the result of Cincinnati ace Tony Mullane refusing to pitch the game, according to the next day's Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, which does not give Mullane's reason for refusing to play. In that snippet, he is only identified as Smith and is said to be from Jersey City, NJ. The Brooklyn Eagle from the same date - Cincinnati was facing the Brooklyn Grays - says that Mr. Smith was from Louisville, KY. The reconciliation between these two apparently contradictory facts can be found in the May 19 issue of Sporting Life, which says Jersey City has a new pitcher called Rex Smith who hails from Louisville. That makes him the same man who pitched a game for Philadelphia later in the season.

The following year he went 21-9 for the Milwaukee Cream Citys.

Although Rex was not his birth name, he became the first Rex in the major leagues, followed by (as of 2021) nine others.

Further Reading

• "Mr. Smith Goes to Cincinnati", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Commmittee Report, SABR, March/April, 2010, pp. 1-2.