Appalachian Figures
Jack Hatfield Smith came out of Pikeville, Kentucky, worked his way through the Dodgers’ farm system, and for three late seasons in the early 1960s took the ball in some awfully big moments. He debuted with Los Angeles in September 1962, pitched in the Dodgers-Giants tie-breaker that decided the pennant, won two games for the Milwaukee Braves in 1964, then settled into a long life of work and family in metro Atlanta. The paper trail, box scores, transactions, and league records—traces a tidy Appalachian baseball story.
From Pikeville to pro ball
Smith signed with the Dodgers’ organization in 1955 and climbed steadily. His breakout came in 1961 with the Double-A Atlanta Crackers (Southern Association), where a move to the bullpen stuck: he posted a 2.09 ERA over 70 appearances, the best mark among Atlanta pitchers who shouldered a heavy load that year.
The Omaha springboard (1962)
Promoted to Triple-A Omaha, Smith won 17 games in 1962 and was voted the American Association Most Valuable Player, and in the same season, the league’s Rookie of the Year. Omaha finished 79–68 (second), lost its semifinal to Denver, 3-1, and Louisville took the playoff title while Indianapolis owned the best regular-season record (89–58). That body of work earned Smith a September call-up.
Earlier versions sometimes mentioned awards vaguely. Smith was the 1962 American Association MVP, and that season’s MVP list also recognizes him among those who simultaneously won AA Rookie of the Year.
A September call-up and a debut win for the team
Smith made his MLB debut on September 10, 1962, working in an 8-1 Dodgers win over the Cubs at Dodger Stadium. The box score fixes him among the September bullpen arms as Los Angeles strained for the flag.
Two tense days in the 1962 tie-breaker
Los Angeles and San Francisco finished tied and played a best-of-three tie-breaker (Oct. 1–3). After the Giants won Game 1 at Candlestick, Smith’s most memorable moment came late the next day in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, an 8–7 nine-inning marathon. Summoned in the top of the eighth with the Dodgers ahead, Smith faced Ed Bailey, who singled in a run; center fielder Willie Davis then threw out Willie Mays at third. Stan Williams relieved, walked Felipe Alouto load the bases, and John Orsino’s sacrifice fly tied it before the Dodgers walked it off in the ninth. San Francisco claimed the pennant the following day in Game 3.
Some tellings say Bailey’s single “put the tying run at third.” Contemporary recaps and the Dodgers’ official historian specify it drove in a run, with Mays cut down trying for third; the tying run scored later on Orsino’s sac fly.
1963: a short stay and a demotion
Smith opened 1963 on the Dodgers’ roster but a rough May 3 outing at Pittsburgh (a 13–2 loss) proved a turning point, and he returned to the minors afterward.
Rule 5 to Milwaukee
That winter, on November 30, 1963, the Braves selected Smith from Los Angeles in the Major League Rule 5 Draft.
Two big-league wins in 1964
Milwaukee used Smith regularly early in 1964. His first MLB win came April 28 in Milwaukee with four innings of one-run relief to beat the Pirates, 9-5. His second win came June 12 against San Francisco, 4-3, with three hitless innings out of the bullpen. His final big-league appearance came in the second game of a June 21 doubleheader at Houston (a 5-4 loss).
By the numbers (and the uniform)
Across parts of three MLB seasons, Smith pitched in 34 games, all in relief, going 2–2 with a 4.56 ERA and one save. With the Dodgers he wore uniform no. 41, a detail preserved on the club’s official O’Malley family site and in uniform number compilations. His MLB and minor-league registers stitch the full record and confirm his professional career ran through 1965.
Life after baseball
Smith settled in the Atlanta area and worked as a barber for decades, a steady trade that outlasted the roar of a pennant race. He died on April 7, 2021, at age 85 in Conyers, Georgia. The family details in his obituary—and careful retrospectives—round out the picture.
Why he matters
Jack Smith’s story is Appalachian in its contours. A small-town pitcher earned his shot and, briefly, the biggest stage. His cameo in the Dodgers–Giants tie-breaker linked Pikeville to one of the sport’s great rivalries, while his journeyman arc through Atlanta and Omaha reminds us how much of baseball history lives far from the headlines.
Sources and further reading
MLB debut: Cubs at Dodgers, Sept. 10, 1962 (full box). Baseball Reference
NL tie-breaker overview with links to box scores (Games 1–3). Wikipedia
Game 1: Dodgers at Giants, Oct. 1, 1962 (box). Baseball Reference
Game 2: Giants at Dodgers, Oct. 2, 1962 (box). Baseball Reference
Game 2 context (Bailey single; Mays out at third; Orsino SF). Dodger Insider
Game 3: Giants at Dodgers, Oct. 3, 1962 (box). Baseball Reference
1963: Pirates 13, Dodgers 2, May 3, 1963 (box). Baseball Reference
First MLB win: Pirates at Braves, Apr. 28, 1964 (box). Baseball Reference
Second MLB win: Giants at Braves, Jun. 12, 1964 (box). Baseball Reference
Final MLB appearance: Braves at Colt .45s (G2), Jun. 21, 1964 (box). Baseball Reference
MLB player page (career summary & splits). Baseball Reference
Minor-league register (final pro season 1965). Baseball Reference
Rule 5 Draft selection by Milwaukee, Nov. 30, 1963. Baseball Reference
1962 American Association MVP & ROY listings (Smith). Wikipedia
1961 Atlanta Crackers (2.09 ERA in 70 G). Stats Crew
1962 Omaha Dodgers: 79–68 (2nd); semifinals loss to Denver 3–1; Louisville champions; Indianapolis best record (89–58). Baseball Reference+2Stats Crew+2
Dodgers’ official O’Malley history roster entry (uniform #41). Walter O’Malley : Official Website• Legacy.com obituary (family details; barber trade; place of death). Legacy.com
RIP Baseball remembrance (career narrative, 1964 highlights). RIP Baseball
Author Note [Blank]