Keith Smith

Keith Lavarne Smith (born May 3, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Texas Rangers in 1977 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1979 to 1980. His minor league career spanned from 1972 to 1981. Brother of Bobby Smith who played for the 1973 Marion Mets. He was actually born as Keith LaVaughn Smith and Major League Baseball never corrected the error. Smith was drafted twice before signing with a major league club. He was initially taken in the seventh round of the 1972 January Draft by the Cardinals out of Manatee Community College, but did not sign. After being drafted in the fourth round of the 1972 June Secondary Draft by the Rangers, he did sign. On August 2, 1977, Smith made his major league debut at the age of 24. He had five plate appearances in his first game, going hitless in three at-bats with a walk and run scored off of Chicago White Sox pitcher Lerrin LaGrow. Less than two weeks later, on August 12, he hit the first home run of his major league career, also off of LaGrow. Smith played in 23 games in his inaugural big league season, hitting .239 with two home runs and six RBI. He did not play in the majors in 1978, spending the entire season with the Triple-A Tucson Toros.