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Ozzie Smith

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Baseball Player

The Resume

    (December 26, 1954- )
    Birth name is Osborne Earl Smith
    Nickname is 'The Wizard of Oz'
    Hall of Famer for the San Diego Padres (1978-81) and the St Louis Cardinals (1982-96)
    Major League record for assists (621) by a shortstop in a season (1980)
    13 Golden Gloves (1980-92)
    15 time All Star (1981-92, 94-96)
    NL leader in fielding average for shortstops 8 times (1981-82, 1984-87, 1991, 1994)
    NLCS Most Valuable Player (1985)
    NL record fewest errors in a season (8) by a shortstop (1991)
    580 stolen bases (20th on all time list)

Why he might be annoying:

    He sometimes took his position by doing a back flip (some athletes can flip from a standing position, he needed a running start) for no other reason than to hotdog/showboat.
    His hitting was mediocre at best (.262 lifetime batting average), and those that like the long ball will yawn at his 28 career home runs.
    When Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa informed him he wouldn't be the starting shortstop after the 1996 season, rather than try to hook up with another team, he quit (retired).
    After Mel Allen died, he briefly (1997-98) took over hosting TV's 'This Week In Baseball,' but it didn't work out and he was fired.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He is widely considered the greatest defensive player of all time at his position.
    He was jobbed out of the 1987 MVP Award. After posting a .303 batting average, 43 stolen bases, 75 RBIs and 104 runs scored, plus helping the Cardinals get into the playoffs, he came in second to Andre Dawson for the last place Chicago Cubs.
    After the season, he was awarded the highest contract in the National League (at the time) for one year; $2,340,000 (1988).
    He won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (1989), the Branch Rickey Award (1994) and the Roberto Clemente Award (1995).
    He played himself on the baseball episode of 'The Simpsons' (February 20, 1992).
    He received an astounding 433 first place votes on 472 ballots (91.74%) to easily make the Hall of Fame his first year of eligibility (the 37th major leaguer to do so).
    His son Nikko Smith made it to the Final 12 of American Idol 4. (2005)
    He owns his own restaurant/sports bar in the St. Louis area.

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 11 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 19 Votes: 42.11% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 40 Votes: 47.50% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 108 Votes: 54.63% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 23 Votes: 39.13% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 37 Votes: 51.35% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 51 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 81 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 107 Votes: 48.60% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 354 Votes: 46.05% Annoying