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Richard Arthur Smith
Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfield-First Base
Born: May 17, 1939, Lebanon, OR
Signed: Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1957 season
Major League Teams: New York Mets 1963-1964; Los Angeles Dodgers 1965
Died: February 19, 2012, Medford, OR (age 72)
Dick Smith played professionally for 12 seasons, earning time in the majors in three different seasons with the Mets and Dodgers. Originally signed by Brooklyn, he played in the Dodgers' minor league system for six seasons between 1957 and 1962 before being sold to the relatively new Mets club in October 1962. He'd appear in 66 games for the Mets in 1963 and 1964, making 29 starts, and serving mainly as a pinch-hitter, pinch-runner or defensive replacement. A member of the Mets' opening day roster in 1964, he was a utility player for the club until being demoted back to the minors that June. Following the season, the Dodgers, his original team, acquired him back, trading pitcher Larry Miller (#349) to the Mets. Smith made the Dodgers' opening day roster in 1965, but appeared in only 10 games before he was once again sent to the minors.
Smith spent three more seasons playing in the minor league systems of the Dodgers, Twins and Senators before calling it a career. In 76 major league games, Smith batted .218 (31 for 142) with six doubles, a pair of triples and seven RBIs.
Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #540
This Smith card was $6 and was one of 49 commons and semi-stars purchased in my triumphant return to Uncle Dick's and his replenished neon green binders.
The Card / Dodgers Team Set
It's impressive Smith received a card in the set with the Dodgers, given he had been acquired from the Mets in October and spent just 10 games with the team before being optioned to the minors. The back of the card notes his demotion in May. He appeared on a Mets Rookie Stars card in the 1964 Topps set with Bill Haas, and this card represents his final mainstream baseball card appearance.
Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #540
This is the 56th of 102 cards acquired for our set from the Baseball Card Sports Memorabilia Show, affectionately known as The Philly Show, held in the basement of the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia in early March. We went nuts and left the show needing only 12 more cards to complete our 1965 Topps set, and I wrote about the show in detail over at The Phillies Room. Having wandered aimlessly among the dealer tables looking for binders with vintage commons, I decided to check to see if Uncle Dick's had refreshed their inventory following the December show, during which I had wiped out both their 1965 Topps binders. Much to my pleasant surprise, they had.
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| 1964 Topps #398 |
Depending on my ability to compose five posts a week on the cards acquired at this show, I should be completely caught up on this blog by mid-October. It's entirely feasible we complete our 1965 Topps set by the end of 2022, although nine of the remaining 12 cards needed are fairly expensive.
It's impressive Smith received a card in the set with the Dodgers, given he had been acquired from the Mets in October and spent just 10 games with the team before being optioned to the minors. The back of the card notes his demotion in May. He appeared on a Mets Rookie Stars card in the 1964 Topps set with Bill Haas, and this card represents his final mainstream baseball card appearance.
I think Topps used the wrong cartoon on the back of the card? Smith did in fact make 17 pitching appearances in 1957 and 1958, but I have no idea what the cartoon featured has to do with pitching.
1965 Season
On the Dodgers' opening day roster, Smith started the second game of the season in center field and went 0 for 3 with an RBI, a strikeout and a sacrifice. He'd appear in eight more games for the Dodgers, never starting, and was sent down to the Triple-A Spokane Indians in early May. With Spokane, Smith appeared in 115 games, batting .233 with three home runs and 28 RBIs.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #398
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2): 1964-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #579
8 - Smith non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/29/22.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
1965 Season
On the Dodgers' opening day roster, Smith started the second game of the season in center field and went 0 for 3 with an RBI, a strikeout and a sacrifice. He'd appear in eight more games for the Dodgers, never starting, and was sent down to the Triple-A Spokane Indians in early May. With Spokane, Smith appeared in 115 games, batting .233 with three home runs and 28 RBIs.
First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #398
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2): 1964-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #579
8 - Smith non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/29/22.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
Previous Card: #578 Camilio Carreon - Cleveland Indians
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Next Card: #580 Jimmie Hall - Minnesota Twins
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