Dwight Smith obit

Dwight Smith, former Cubs and Braves outfielder, dies at 58

Smith spent parts of eight seasons in the majors and won the 1995 World Series with Atlanta

 

 He was not on the list.

Former Cubs and Braves outfielder Dwight Smith has died at age 58, the Braves announced Friday.

Smith spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, from 1989-1996. He started with the division-winning Cubs in 1989, hitting .324/.382/.493 (141 OPS+) with 19 doubles, six triples, nine homers, 52 RBI, 52 runs, nine stolen bases and 2.3 WAR in just 109 games. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to fellow Cubs outfielder Jerome Walton. He started in the minors with the Pikeville Cubs, the Geneva Cubs, the Peoria Chiefs, the Pittsfield Cubs, the Iowa Cubs and the Daytona Cubs.

Smith was also a member of the World Series champion Braves in 1995, picking up a pinch-hit single in Game 2, a Braves win.  

The Braves also mentioned that Smith was "a beloved alumni member, and his infectious smile will be missed around Truist Park."

"Our deepest condolences to his wife, Cheryl, daughters Taylor and Shannyn, and son Dwight, Jr.," the Braves said in a statement.

Dwight Smith, Jr. has appeared in 122 career MLB games for the Blue Jays and Orioles. The 29-year-old outfielder started this season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights (White Sox affiliate) and was released in early May. He's currently playing independent ball.

Smith attended Wade Hampton High School in Varnville, South Carolina, and Spartanburg Methodist College. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 1989, playing for the Chicago Cubs. Smith finished second in balloting for National League Rookie of the Year behind teammate Jerome Walton, who collected 22 of 24 first-place votes.[4] Smith hit .324 as a rookie, getting 111 hits, which turned out to be a career-high. He went 3-for-15 for the Cubs in the 1989 National League Championship Series, which they lost to the San Francisco Giants.

On July 21, 1989, at Wrigley Field, Smith sang the National Anthem before a game against the San Francisco Giants.

The Cubs did not offer Smith arbitration after the 1993 season, making him a free agent. The California Angels signed Smith to a one-year contract for the 1994 season. When the Angels began to play Jim Edmonds in Smith's place, Smith requested a trade. On June 15, 1994, the Angels traded Smith to the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later. Smith signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves for the 1995 season. Smith appeared in the 1995 World Series as a member of the Braves, who won the Series that season over the Cleveland Indians. He re-signed with the Braves for the 1996 season.

In 1997, Smith signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, an expansion team set to debut in 1998, and they assigned him to the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League for the 1997 season. An injury to his sciatic nerve prevented Smith from playing, and the Devil Rays released him in May. After he recuperated, Smith played for the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League, an independent baseball league, in 1997. In 1998, he played for the Rochester Red Wings, a minor league affiliate of the Orioles.

Smith was a key player on the Cubs’ 1989 National League Eastern Division champions, managed by the late Don Zimmer, along with players such as Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson and Mark Grace.