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Historical
facts about obscure Baseball Hall of Famer reveal legend and
true hometown hero
Hilton Lee Smith Memorabilia Collection dedicated, unassuming hero honored for his contributions
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Historical facts about an obscure Hall of Fame baseball player have helped recently to reveal a true Giddings hometown hero. Giddings chose to recognize this man establishing an area in the Giddings Public Library for the Hilton Lee Smith Baseball Memorabilia Collection.
The Collection was unveiled on Friday, June 19th with a program that honored this legend and touted the authenticity of this shy, unassuming and learned man and athlete.
City
of Giddings officials along with Mr. DeMorris Smith, son of Hilton Lee Smith,
and his family spoke about how Giddings is privileged to host the Hilton Lee
Smith Collection. Mayor Pro-tem of Giddings Fred Jones presented DeMorris Smith
with the Keys to the City and welcomed him and his family to town.
Various members of the community spoke at the dedication including Michael Simmang who suggested that it was nice for the children in our community to finally have a positive sports role-model who was low key, was not overpaid, and that didn't use performance enhancing drugs to succeed. The Simmang family donated land for the Simmang Park where the Hilton Lee Smith Field is located.
The
crowd of over 100 attendees chuckled when Librarian Pamela Hutchinson presented
DeMorris Smith with a baseball signed by the library staff. On behalf of the
library and the City of Giddings she gave him a gift bag filled with local items
and a copy of the book We are the Ship, The Story of the Negro Baseball
League by Kadir Nelson.
A dedicatory address was given by Reverend Frank Garrett, pastor at Bethel St. Paul Baptist Church in Giddings. Garrett spoke of how Smith was revered and admired for his talent. Garrett offered white pitcher Bob Feller's account that Smith was, in 1942, possibly the best pitcher in the world. Feller's subsequent explanation points to Smith's appearance in interracial exhibition games. Smith reportedly shut-out a white all-star team in 1937 (that included Feller) and he shut-out the storied 1947 New York Yankees for five innings, allowing only one Yankee superstar, Joe DiMaggio, to reach base.
Garrett also revealed the fact that Smith, the son of a teacher, was well educated and taught illiterate players who joined his team to read.
To learn more about Hilton Lee Smith visit the Giddings Public Library where you can view the collection and research this valuable part of Giddings' history ... a hometown hero and baseball legend. ■
Hilton
Lee Smith, a professional baseball player who shined in the pre-integration
Negro Leagues, was born
on February 27, 1907
and raised in Giddings, Texas.
For over 60 years Smith's baseball accomplishments remained only a footnote in
history, until 2001 when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Smith pitched for Prairie View A&M before joining the semi-pro Austin Senators in 1931. In 1936 he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs moving up to play against "top-tier" competition. He has been called the best pitcher in the Negro American League and was once thought to be the best pitcher in the world. He pitched against greats like Joe DiMaggio in interracial exhibition games. Baseball old-timers claim that Smith was tougher to hit than his flamboyant counterpart and teammate Satchel Page. Smith was also a formidable hitter who sometimes occupied the "clean-up" position in the lineup.
Hilton Lee Smith is said to be partly responsible for the recruitment of baseball great, slugger Jackie Robinson who broke through the color barriers in baseball.
Smith retired from the game in the 1950’s and became a teacher and coach. He also worked in the steel industry and as an assistant scout for the Chicago Cubs. Hilton Lee Smith died in 1983 and was finally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
