Elmer Smith
| Birthdate | 9/21/1892 |
| Death Date | 8/3/1984 |
| Debut Year | 1914 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Indians, Red Sox, Reds, Senators, Yankees |
| Position | Right Field |
In 1920 Elmer Smith helped the Indians win their first championship by hitting the first grand slam in World Series history off of Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes.
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Elmer Smith hit his momentous home run in pivotal Game 5 of the 1920 Fall Classic
Elmer Smith hit his momentous home run in pivotal Game 5 of the 1920 Fall Classic
Elmer Smith put his stamp on baseball history in Game 5 of the 1920 Fall Classic. With the Series tied at two games apiece Brooklyn manager Wilbert Robinson gave the ball to Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes. Four days earlier the 23-game winner silenced the Indians bats in a complete-game shutout at Ebbets Field.
Smith was especially overmatched at the plate. Grimes hung an o-for-4 on the Cleveland right fielder who struck out, grounded out to first twice, and fouled out to the catcher.
Game 5 was different.
It was a pleasant day, with temperatures in the high-60s for the Sunday afternoon October 10th contest. In the bottom of the first, Grimes allowed consecutive singles to the first three Indians batters to load the bases. Up came cleanup hitter Smith. Grimes got Smith to swing at two spitballs to put him in an 0-2 hole. After tossing one out of the strike zone, Grimes tried to sneak a fastball past Smith.
The ball caught too much of the plate and Smith made him pay. The left-hand-hitting Indians outfielder swatted the ball over the right field fence for the first grand slam in World Series history.
According to his SABR biography, Smith said of the at bat, “It was a straight fast one about chest high I crushed over the fence in the first round with the bases full. I wasn’t a bit nervous, though I had missed a couple of spitters and I was in the hole with two strikes and one ball charged against me and I knew that these three lads on the sacks were pulling hard for me to deliver, while I couldn’t help but feeling the excitement in the stands. That home-run pitch was just what the doctor ordered. I hit it as squarely on the nose as I ever hit any ball and I could feel it was destined to travel the way it cracked off my bat.”
The Indians took the contest from the Robins 8-1. Two days later they closed out the Series and claimed the first championship in franchise history.
Shown here is Smith’s handwritten remembrances. He pens, “The player that was really my idol was Ty Cobb and of course Babe Ruth was to. The highlight of my career was hitting a home run with the bases loaded in 1920 World Series.”
Smith then signs the card beneath the inscription.
Bill Wambsganns turned an unassisted triple play on the same day as Smith's grand slam
Bill Wambsganns turned an unassisted triple play on the same day as Smith's grand slam
Game 5 of the 1920 World Series was one of the most memorable in Fall Classic history. In the Indians first time at bat, Elmer Smith hit baseball’s first postseason grand slam. Then in the fourth inning Cleveland’s Jim Bagby became the first pitcher to hit a home run.
In the very next frame, Wilbert Robinson’s Brooklyn club looked to get back into the game. Second baseman Paul Kiduff and catcher Otto Miller hit consecutive singles to put men on first and second with no outs.
The next batter was Brooklyn pitcher Clarence Mitchell, a career .252 hitter. Showing confidence in Mitchell, manager Robinson called for a hit-and-run.
Cleveland second baseball Bill Wambsganss played at the edge of the grass as the runners ran with the pitch. Mitchell hit a line drive toward second base. The 5’11” Wamby darted to his right, leapt for the ball, and snared it with his glove. Wambsganns quickly made his way to the second base bag to double off Kilduff who was on his way to third. Off and running from first was Miller, fast approaching his fate of being the third out. Wambsganns tagged the runner for the third out.
In the January 22nd, 1966 edition of The Sporting News Wambsganss described the tag of Miller that completed the first unassisted triple play in World Series history.
“He stopped running and stood there, so I just tagged him. That was all there was to it,” he explained. “Just before I tagged him, he said, ‘Where’d you get that ball?’ I said, ‘Well, I’ve got it and you’re out number three.’”
Cleveland went on to win Game 5, 8-1. Two days later they clinched the first Fall Classic triumph in franchise history.
In the collection is this photo of Wamby hitting as a member of the Cleveland Indians. The second baseman signed the picture at the bottom.
Smith and the Indians won the World Series thanks in large part to Stan Coveleski
Smith and the Indians won the World Series thanks in large part to Stan Coveleski
Most World Series champions rely on hill ace, a horse they ride to the finish line. For the 1920 Indians, that man was Hall of Fame pitcher Stan Coveleski.
In the regular season he had 24 wins, a 2.49 ERA and led the league in strikeouts, WHIP, and fielding-independent pitching (FIP). In the Fall Classic Coveleski was magnificent.
The right-hander pitched three complete-games, winning Game 1, Game 4 and the clinching Game 7 on five-hit shutout. In 27 innings he allowed just two runs. His 3-0 mark and 0.67 ERA in 1920 remains one of the greatest performances in Fall Classic history.
Shown here is Coveleski’s lifetime pass to all National League games. More on the pitcher can be found by clicking here to access his player page on the site.
Light-hitting Elmer Smith owned four-time 20-game winner Bob Shawkey
Light-hitting Elmer Smith owned four-time 20-game winner Bob Shawkey
In the collection is this index card signed by Shawkey. The card has biographical information on the pitcher. Shawkey has crossed out the errant, “Brookfield, Pa.” and corrected it with, “Brookville, Pa.”
