EXTRA: Smith made mark 73 yrs ago

SMITH: Made his mark all those yrs ago

Eddie Smith was a major league pitcher back in the 1930s into the 1940s, mostly for the Chicago White Sox.

It was in that capacity that Smith achieved the high-point of his baseball career, his mark on history, 73 years ago Thursday, on the Yankee Stadium playing field that now lies within site of the new structure bearing that name.

OF COURSE, NOBODY had a clue that night that what they saw at the ballpark was anything special.

 

Nobody ever did a pop song about Smith

Smith pitched to Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees and gave up one hit in four at-bats. It drove in the only Yankees run in a 3-1 victory by the White Sox. But it was hit Number One in what became DiMaggio’s 56-game consecutive hitting streak – in which he managed at least one hit per game every game through July 16.

It was July 17 against the Cleveland Indians before anyone could keep DiMaggio hitless again. And then, he began another 17-game hitting streak.
 

Where it began all those years ago

As for Smith, 1941 may well have been his best season – winning 13 games, but losing 17, with a 3.18 earned run average for a third place ball club that finished 77-77. An even .500 season, just like this season is shaping up to be.

  -30-