Lyall Smith

A native of Peoria, Illinois, he attended Bradley University and the University of Illinois. He was inducted into the Bradley University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1950.{{cite web|title=Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame (R-S)|date=July 7, 2011|publisher=Bradley University|url=http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=3666568|accessdate=August 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317171119/http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=3666568|archive-date=March 17, 2015|url-status=dead}}

Smith began his career in journalism as a reporter for the Chicago Daily News. He spent seven years with the Chicago Daily News from 1938 to 1945. He claimed to have given the "Whiz Kids" nickname to the 1943 Illinois basketball team.{{cite news|title=Bouncing Around|author=Ed Burns|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=October 18, 1950|page=12}}

In March 1945, Smith was hired as the sports editor and columnist at the Detroit Free Press, a position he held until 1965.{{cite book|author=Frank Angelo|title=On Guard, A History of the Detroit Free Press|publisher=Detroit Free Press|year=1981|page=[https://archive.org/details/onguardhistoryof0000ange/page/196 196]|isbn=0-9605692-1-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/onguardhistoryof0000ange/page/196}}{{cite news|title=Minors Reserve Right to Okay Commissioner|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=March 8, 1945}}

During his time with the Free Press Smith was included in the committee of baseball writers charged with selecting the American League Most Valuable Player.{{cite news|title=24 on Writers' Committee Selecting Most Valuable|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=November 20, 1946}}{{cite news|title=24 Writers on Committee Selecting Most Valuable|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=December 1, 1948|page=2}}

In 1947, Smith became involved in a controversy over competing claims to the national collegiate football championship by undefeated teams from Notre Dame and Michigan. Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in the final regular season AP Poll, but Michigan went on to defeat USC by a score of 49-0 in the Rose Bowl. Smith urged the Associated Press to conduct a post-bowl poll, arguing that Michigan had defeated three common opponents by larger margins than Notre Dame and had a tougher schedule.{{cite news|author=Smith, Lyall|title=Michigan or Notre Dame? Hot Argument Still Raging Throughout U.S.|publisher=Florence (S.C.) Morning News|date=1948-01-04}} After Smith's comments, the AP agreed to conduct a post-bowl poll, the first of its kind,{{cite news|title=AP to Conduct Special Poll|publisher=Ironwood Daily Globe|date=1948-01-03}}{{cite news|title=Michigan Winner Nearly 2-1 Over Irish in AP Poll|publisher=Albuquerque Journal|date=1948-01-07}} and Michigan was selected as the national champion in that poll by a vote of 226 to 119.{{cite news|author=Chandler, John|title=Scribes of Nation Pick Michigan: A.P.'s Poll Favors Wolverines; Final Vote Stands at 226-119|publisher=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=1948-01-07}}{{cite news|title=With Men Who Know Football Best: It's Michigan 2 to 1 Over Notre Dame|publisher=The Amarillo Daily News|date=1948-01-07}} After the results were tallied, Smith wrote in The Sporting News, "Michigan won another football battle!"{{cite news|author=Lyall Smith|title=It's All Over Now -- and It's Mich. Over Irish: 72 Per Cent of Grid Experts Give Nod to Wolverines as No. 1 Team|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=January 14, 1948|page=29}}

Also in January 1947, Smith broke the story of the Detroit Tigers' decision to sell Hank Greenberg to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith reported that Tigers owner Walter O. Briggs had read comments from Greenberg about his desire to play for the Yankees and concluded that "Greenberg was ungrateful, unkind and unfair to Detroit," and ordered the team's general manager to "get rid of Hank."{{cite news|title=Paper Says Briggs Ordered Hank's Sale|newspaper=Stars and Stripes|page=10|date=January 26, 1947}}

In August 1948, three days after the death of Babe Ruth from cancer, Smith proposed that Major League Baseball designate September 30, 1948 as "Babe Ruth Day" and that all proceeds from games played on that day be donated to cancer research.{{cite news|title=Babe Ruth Day Proposed for September 30|date=August 20, 1948|newspaper=The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio) (AP story)}}{{cite news|title=Memorials Of Many Types Proposed to Commemorate Ruth|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=September 1, 1948|page=11}}

Smith's 1948 tribute to Harry Heilmann, former batting champ and radio voice of the tigers, was published in The Sporting News. Smith wrote:

"[H]e is so good that if he gets any better there'll be no more attendance records set at Briggs Stadium. After all, who wants to leave that nice, soft easy chair to be pushed around with 50,000 other fans when he can stay right at home and get a word picture ... with anectodes ... of the game. Only thing wrong with his broadcasts is that you hate to get out of your chair and rush to the ice box to get a bottle of that cool stuff he mentions now and then."{{cite news|author=Lyall Smith|title=It's Heilmann Day at Last -- Harry Once Lost Homer Batting in Other's Turn|newspaper=The Sporting News|date=September 1, 1948|page=10}}

In October 1954, Smith was elected as the vice president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.{{cite news|title=Lyall Smith Elected|newspaper=Holland Evening Sentinel (Holland, Michigan) (UP story)|date=October 2, 1954}}

In the spring of 1955, Smith asked readers to submit ideas for a nickname for the Tigers' star right-fielder Al Kaline. From the submissions, Smith chose "Salty," which the reader explained, "After all, salt means alkaline."{{cite news|title=Reader Picks 'Salty' as Kaline's Nickname|newspaper=Iowa City Press Citizen (Iowa City, Iowa)|date=May 5, 1955}}

In September 1955, he was elected as the president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and served in that role in 1956.{{cite news|title=Lyall Smith at Helm: Detroiter Is Elected Chairman of Baseball Writers|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 30, 1955|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1955/09/30/93411623.pdf}}{{cite web|publisher=Baseball Writers' Association of America|title=Constitution, Addendum B, BBWAA Presidents|url=http://bbwaa.com/constitution/}} Smith also served as a director of the Football Writers Association of America for several years.

Smith was chosen as the chief scorer for the 1956 World Series,{{cite news|title=Smith Named Chief Scorer|newspaper=St. Joseph Gazette|date=October 2, 1956|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2TxaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OUwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3067,127029&dq=lyall-smith&hl=en}} and was the scorer for Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series.{{cite news|title=Lyall Smith, Retired Detroit Sports Editor, Dies at 76|newspaper=Peoria Journal Star|date=October 11, 1991}} Fellow sportswriter Arthur Daley noted, "By the ninth inning, the most nervous people in the ball park, bar none, were the three official scorers, Lyall Smith of Detroit and his two assistants ... They were terrified that a questionable decision would confront them and ruin Larsen's performance for posterity."{{cite news|date=October 9, 1956|title=SPORTS OF THE TIMES: While Baseball History Was Being Made|author=Arthur Daley|newspaper=The New York Times}} Larsen, too, acknowledged that he was not the only nervous person at Yankee Stadium as the game progressed, acknowledging the scrutiny that would be given to any close calls by Smith as he sat in the press box as the official scorer.{{cite book|author=Don Larsen|title=The Perfect Yankee|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=2006|page=139|isbn=1-58261-336-2}}

In May 1965, Smith was chosen to serve a five-year term on the board of directors of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite news|title=Name 12 to Hall of Fame Board|newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan)(AP story)|date=May 27, 1964}}

In September 1965, Smith left the Free Press to accept a position as the public relations director for the Detroit Lions.{{cite news|title=Lyall Smith Joins Lions|newspaper=Traverse City Record Eagle (Traverse City, Michigan) (UPI story)|date=September 7, 1965}} In January 1967, Smith took on the additional title and responsibility as the Lions' business manager.{{cite news|title=Joe Schmidt Delays Signing of Lions Contract|newspaper=Traverse City Record Eagle (Traverse City, Michigan) (UPI story)|date=January 10, 1967}} Over the next 15 years, Smith was employed by the Lions as their public relations director,{{cite news|title=Detroit Lions Sign Top Draft Choices|newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal|date=April 4, 1967|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Jc8pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m8kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4386,745108&dq=lyall-smith&hl=en}} business manager, and director of marketing.{{cite web|title=Kappa Upsilon Alum|publisher=Lambda Chi Alpha|url=http://www.bulambdachi.org/import_alum.htm}} When the Lions moved to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1975, Smith was responsible for coordinating the move and organized an exhibition day game in August 1975 for fans to orient themselves and tour the new facility.{{cite news|title=Lions to Open at New Home Against Chiefs|newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan) (AP story)|date=March 5, 1975}} He remained with the Lions throughout the 1970s.{{cite news|title=Alex Will Miss His Pals|author=Terry Bledsoe|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=October 5, 1971|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7t8jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5CgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2786,2553236&dq=lyall-smith&hl=en}}{{cite news|title=Windsor In Running for Lions Training|newspaper=The Windsor Star|date=April 4, 1979|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o9xYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XlIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1052,1177862&dq=lyall-smith+detroit&hl=en}}

Smith died of heart failure in 1991 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.{{cite news|date=October 10, 1991|newspaper=The Detroit News|title=Lyall Smith, Ex-Sports Editor and Lions Official, Dies at 76}}

• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca My Greatest Diamond Thrill, By Lou Boudreau, As Told To Lyall Smith: Long Homers Off Rigney Gave Shortstop Top Kick] (Lou Boudreau), The Sporting News, November 18, 1943, page 9
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Tar Explosion Blew Roy Hughes Back Into Big Time] (Roy Hughes), The Sporting News, July 27, 1944, page 6
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=bi4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA11 Wanted: First Base Idol], Baseball Digest, April 1948
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=GC4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA33 Basemen Beware!], Baseball Digest, May 1948
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Rowdy Richard Tells About a $1,050 Row: Run-In With Umpire Cost Bartell Chance for .300 Mark and Pay Raise -- Fined $50] (Dick Bartell), The Sporting News, December 29, 1948, page 6
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=zjIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA47 The 'Sec' Is an Aspirin Man], Baseball Digest, March 1949
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Kell Calls Greenberg Greatest Sign-Stealer] (George Kell/Hank Greenberg), The Sporting News, April 6, 1949, page 2
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Groth Detroit's Biggest Rave Since Cobb] (Johnny Groth), The Sporting News, May 4, 1949, page 3
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Gray Brightens Tigers Mound Picture] (Ted Gray), The Sporting News, May 25, 1949, page 3
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Veeck Loses Midas Touch] (Bill Veeck), The Sporting News, June 1, 1949, page 12
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Bengals' Late Blaze Kindled By Red-Head Rolfe] (Red Rolfe), The Sporting News, September 21, 1949, page 5
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=3jIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA51 Matty Just a 'Cousin' to Brownie] (Christy Mathewson), Baseball Digest, July 1949
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=FS4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA27 Onus the Bonus], Baseball Digest, June 1950
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Art Off to Fast Start, Shows Fine Control] (Art Houtteman), The Sporting News, June 14, 1950, page 5
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Kell Pounds Out Hits and Sports Columns, Too] (George Kell), The Sporting News, July 5, 1950, page 1
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=NjMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA65 Why Not Play 154 Games?], Baseball Digest, November 1950
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca How Can Michigan Ever Forget 'Forgotten' Man] (Carl Kreager/Snow Bowl), The Sporting News, December 6, 1950, page 54
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=47cDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA72 Three Clubs Hit $600,000 Pay], Baseball Digest, March 1951&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAjge#v=onepage&q=lyall%20smith&f=false Onus the Bonus], Baseball Digest, June 1950
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca $30,000 Outside Job Offer Tempted Hal to Quit Game] (Hal Newhouser), The Sporting News, March 7, 1951, page 21
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca 'Be Yourself,' Move Up Spot in Flag Race, Tigers Advised] (1951 Detroit Tigers), The Sporting News, March 21, 1951, page 19
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Tiger Rookie Hoeft, 18, Given Chance to Win Place on Roster: Kid Phenom Faced All 27 Batters He Faced in Wisconsin School Game] (Billy Hoeft), The Sporting News, March 28, 1951, page 7
• [http://paperofrecord.hypernet.ca Williams' Homer Made '41 All-Star Game Tops] (Ted Williams), The Sporting News, July 11, 1951, page 4
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=Li4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA57 The Trouble with the Red Sox], Baseball Digest, August 1951
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=LiwDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA45 Same Situation -- Same Strategy], Baseball Digest, January 1952
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ti4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA83 Overhead Exposure], Baseball Digest, May 1952
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=8DIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA93 'Caught' Both Tiger No-Hitters] (Oscar Stanage), Baseball Digest, August 1952
• "Tip From Ted Kept Kaline Swinging Bat All Winter," The Sporting News, March 3, 1954, page 4
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=2zIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA93 Tigers Hope He's A House Afire] (Frank House), Baseball Digest, May 1954
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120220142805/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1128906/index.htm The law of the pot and the kettle ... ], Sports Illustrated, October 4, 1954
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=YCwDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA85 Kaline's a Big Man Now] (Al Kaline), Baseball Digest, May 1955
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=PywDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA67 Big Pitchers Grow in Cages], Baseball Digest, June 1955
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=KjMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA27 The File on Kaline], Baseball Digest, July 1955
• "Lip Gives Kaline Pay-Boost Advice," The Sporting News, November 16, 1955, page 7
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=TSwDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA25 Will Tape Measure Hurt Mickey?], Baseball Digest, August 1956
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=GjMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA5 Mantle Wastes Talent!], Baseball Digest, June 1957
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=MiwDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA12 Standing Ducks], Baseball Digest, July 1957
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=5DIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA83 They Called Him a Busher] (Joe McCarthy), Baseball Digest, August 1957
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=SC4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA41 After 47 Straight N.Y. Wins], Baseball Digest, December 1957
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=5S0DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA19 20-Game Winners a Luxury!], Baseball Digest, May 1958
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=tC4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA43 Meet the Tigers' New Manager] (Bill Norman), Baseball Digest, August 1958
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=g7YDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA4 If Hitchcock Wrote Diamond History], Baseball Digest, March 1959
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=0C0DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA47 They Finally Separated the Wheat from the Chaff] (Zack Wheat), Baseball Digest, April 1959
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=hC8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA39 The Day the Mighty Met], Baseball Digest, July 1959
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=by8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA25 Revival Time in the A.L.], Baseball Digest, August 1959
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=gy8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA55 N0Hit Pitchers Fall by Wayside], Baseball Digest, September 1959
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=DbcDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA29 The Gashouse Gang -- Laughing Gas, That Is], Baseball Digest, July 1960
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=Xy8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA93 How About Rotating Pilots?], Baseball Digest, January 1961
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ky4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA41 One of the Wildest Games Ever], Baseball Digest, August 1961
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=dy8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA91 Some Rules Are A Bit Wavy], Baseball Digest, May 1962
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=gS8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA61 Why Stengel Nixed Detroit Job, then Took Mets' Offer] (Casey Stengel), Baseball Digest, May 1962
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=kS0DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA75 How York Used Batting Science to Set Homer Mark] (Rudy York), Baseball Digest, July 1962
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=JC4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA79 Bus Ride Back to Stardom?], Baseball Digest, July 1963
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=QTIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA15 What the Braves Owe to Milwaukee], Baseball Digest, September 1964
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=OjIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA43 It's First Time in 49 Years There's No Dykes on Field], Baseball Digest, May 1965
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=1zEDAAAAMBAJ&dq=lyall+smith&pg=PA29 Beat the Clock!] (Bobby Bragan), Baseball Digest, September 1965

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Category:1914 births

Category:1991 deaths

Category:Baseball writers

Category:Detroit Free Press people

Category:Sportswriters from Michigan

Category:Writers from Peoria, Illinois

Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers

Category:Sportswriters from Illinois