Hal Smith, who hit the second most-famous home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series for the Pirates, died at age 89 on Thursday in Columbus, Texas.
Smth’s three-run shot, which he hit in the bottom of the eighth inning at Forbes Field, gave the Pirates a brief, 9-7 lead against the New York Yankees.
Entering the game in the eighth inning after catcher Smoky Burgess was lifted for a pinch-runner in the seventh, Smith came to bat with Dick Groat and Roberto Clemente on the corners.
With a 2-2 count, Smith went deep off right-hander Jim Coates and produced the two-run cushion that many thought would serve as the final margin of victory.
After the Yankees tied the score in the top of the ninth inning, Bill Mazeroski hit his famous, walk-off homer in the bottom half, carrying the Pirates to a 10-9 victory.
A right-handed hitter, Smith platooned with the left-hand hitting Burgess at catcher that season, hitting .295 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs.
Smith, who started just two games in the World Series, was ultimately left unprotected in the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft and was selected by the Houston Colt .45s and would catch the first MLB game in Houston baseball history.
He grew up in Illinois and retired in Columbus after 10 seasons in the big leagues.
Smith was Houston’s starting catcher for much of the 1962 season, hitting .235 with 12 home runs. He was primarily the team’s backup in 1963 before finishing his career with the Reds in 1964.
In 10 big leagues seasons that included time with the Orioles, Athletics, Pirates, Colt .45s and Reds, Smith batted .267 with 58 career home runs. His best season was in 1957 when he hit .303 with 13 home runs with the Kansas City Athletics.
Smith is survived by his wife Ann, his daughter Debbie Perkins and her husband Ralph, son Dan Smith and his wife Lisa, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Smith’s memorial service is at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Columbus.
The Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey contributed.
First Published: January 11, 2020, 8:23 p.m.