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Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith (born December 26, 1954) is a retired American baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996. Nicknamed "The Wizard" for his defensive brilliance, Smith set major league records for career assists (8,375) and double plays (1,590) by a shortstop (the latter since broken by Omar Vizquel), as well as the National League (NL) record with 2,511 career games at the position; Smith won the NL Gold Glove Award for play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons (1980–92). A 15-time All-Star, he accumulated 2,460 hits and 580 stolen bases during his career, and won the NL Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting shortstop in 1987. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002. He was also elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014. Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama, but his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles, when he was six years old. While participating in childhood athletic activities, Smith developed quick reflexes; he went on to play baseball in high school and college, at Los Angeles' Locke High School and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo respectively. Drafted as an amateur player by the Padres, Smith made his major league debut in 1978. He quickly established himself as an outstanding fielder, and later became known for performing backflips on special occasions while taking his position at the beginning of a game. Smith won his first Gold Glove Award in 1980, and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 1981. When conflict with Padres' ownership developed, he was traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982. Upon joining the Cardinals, Smith helped the team win the 1982 World Series. Three years later, his game-winning home run during Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series prompted broadcaster Jack Buck's "Go crazy, folks!" play-by-play call. Despite a rotator cuff injury during the 1985 season, Smith posted career highs in multiple offensive categories in 1987. Smith continued to earn Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances on an annual basis until 1993. During 1995 season, Smith had shoulder surgery and was out nearly three months. After tension with his new manager Tony La Russa developed in 1996, Smith retired at season's end, and his uniform number (No. 1) was subsequently retired by the Cardinals. Smith also served as host of the television show ''This Week in Baseball'' from 1997 to 1998. == Early life == Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama, the second of Clovi and Marvella Smith's six children (five boys and one girl). While the family lived in Mobile, his father worked as a sandblaster at Brookley Air Force Base.〔Smith and Rains 1988: 6〕 When Smith was six his family moved to the Watts section of Los Angeles, California.〔 His father became a delivery truck driver for Safeway stores, while his mother became an aide at a nursing home.〔 His mother was an influential part of his life who stressed the importance of education and encouraged him to pursue his dreams.〔Eisenbath 1999: 284–285〕 Smith played a variety of sports in his youth, but considered baseball to be his favorite.〔Smith and Rains 1988: 8〕 He developed quick reflexes through various athletic and leisure activity, such as bouncing a ball off the concrete steps in front of his house, moving in closer to reduce reaction time with each throw.〔Smith and Rains 2002: 24〕 When not at the local YMCA or playing sports, Smith sometimes went with friends to the neighborhood lumberyard, springboarding off inner tubes and doing flips into sawdust piles (a precursor to his famous backflips).〔Smith and Rains 1988: 7〕 In 1965, at age ten, he endured the Watts Riots with his family, recalling that, "We had to sleep on the floor because of all the sniping and looting going on."〔Smith and Rains 1988: 4〕 While Smith was attending junior high school, his parents divorced.〔Smith and Rains 1988: 9〕 Continuing to pursue his interest in baseball, he would ride the bus for nearly an hour to reach Dodger Stadium, cheering for the Los Angeles Dodgers at about 25 games a year.〔 Upon becoming a student at Locke High School, Smith played on the basketball and baseball teams.〔 Smith was a teammate of future National Basketball Association player Marques Johnson on the basketball team, and a teammate of future fellow Hall-of-Fame player Eddie Murray on the baseball side.〔Smith and Rains 1988: 9–10〕 After high school Smith attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1974 on a partial academic scholarship, and managed to walk-on to the baseball team.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Ozzie Smith )〕 In addition to his academic education, he learned to switch-hit from Cal Poly coach Berdy Harr.〔Lang, Dave. "There is Only 1 Ozzie Smith." St. Louis Cardinals Official 1993 Yearbook. 1993. 17〕 When Cal Poly's starting shortstop broke his leg midway through the 1974 season, Smith subsequently took over the starting role.〔 Later named an All-American athlete, he established school records in career at bats (754) and career stolen bases (110) before graduating in 1977.〔〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Ozzie Smith )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ozzie Smith」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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