Oak Smith

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Oak Smith

| image = Smith-Oak-1921.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 7

| position = End, fullback, halfback, wingback

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1894|2|27}}

| birth_place = Downing, Missouri, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|5|2|1894|2|27}}

| death_place = Long Beach, California, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 185

| high_school = Centerville (Centerville, Iowa)

| college = Drake

| pastteams =

Rock Island Independents (1920–1921)

| pastcoaching =

Occidental (1924–1925)
Assistant coach
Long Beach (1929–1933)
Head coach

| highlights =

First-team All-Pro (1920)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 16

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 9

}}

Okla Eugene "Oak" Smith (February 27, 1894 – May 2, 1974), nicknamed "Oak" (sometimes spelled "Oke" ), was an American football player and coach. He played professionally as an end, fullback, and wingback for two seasons, from 1920 to 1921, with the Rock Island Independents of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which was renamed as the National Football League (NFL) in 1922. He was a first-team selection on the 1920 All-Pro Team.

Biography

Smith attended Drake University, where lettered football, basketball, and track. He football as a halfback and fullback, basketball as a center, and ran the half-mile in track. He was elected the captain of the 1916 Drake football team.{{cite news |author= |title=Drake Elects Okla Smth |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register/147052827/ |newspaper=The Des Moines Register and Leader |location=Des Moines, Iowa |date=November 28, 1915 |page=1, sports section |access-date=May 10, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southern California (USC). He coached football and basketball at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Smith served as the head football coach at Long Beach Junior College—now known as Long Beach City College (LBCC)—from 1929 to 1933.

Smith died on May 2, 1974.{{cite news |author= |title=Oak Smith, L.B. coach, rites slated |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/independent-obituary-for-oak-smith/147050963/ |newspaper=Independent Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach, California |date=May 4, 1974 |page=C6 |access-date=May 10, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}