Alaric Smith - From Fort Smith Park to Yankee Stadium

 Major League Baseball was delayed this year but is back! Opening Day was April 7, 2022. There’s something new to watch for this season - Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires will make in-ballpark announcements explaining the decisions they make during the replay review process. "We're pleased to launch this enhancement to the ballpark and broadcast experiences. Training has been held in Arizona and Florida this spring," the League announced.

Major League Baseball began using limited instant replay in 2008 and it has evolved over the years into the system we see today. When replay is used, the crew chief and relevant umpire get on the headset to discuss the play with MLB's central review office, which makes all decisions. Up until now, the umpire then made the appropriate signal, such as safe or out or fair or foul, without explanation.

Umpires have always made decisions that are open to question, of course. Back in the so-called “Golden Age of Baseball” (during the Major League careers of legends like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Ted Williams) with much less sophisticated replay technology and without tools such as ball-tracking technology, umpiring has been a dramatic job, to say the least.

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An umpire who’s been in that hot seat during the twilight of the “Golden Age of Baseball” was William Alaric “Al” Smith, born June 11, 1925, in Bossier City, LA. He was a lifelong resident of Bossier - when he wasn’t traveling around the country for his sport career. Al got his start at Bossier High School in the early 1940s when an official for one of the first basketball games in the new Bossier High School’s gymnasium didn’t show. The coaches asked Bossier High sophomore Al Smith, who had been officiating scrimmages, to step in. The coach of the winning, opposing team (East Point) was impressed with the skill young Al exhibited, saying he did a better job than many veteran officials. He also began to umpire recreational baseball while a student at the old Fort Smith Park, adjacent to Bossier High. He served his country during World War II, then attended Centenary College where he continued to gain experience officiating games. He also officiated Victory League (semi-pro baseball) and city softball games in Bossier. Al Smith began umpiring in the Sooner State League in 1951, then went to the Big State League in 1952-1953. When he was umpiring in the Class C Big State League, the League presidents recommended him to the officials of the Class A Gulf Coast League, and the Class AA Texas League bought his contract. He was also named athletic director of Bossier City Recreation Department in October of 1957. He umpired in the Texas League through much of the 1950s. He then reached the Majors at the end of the 1959 season. He was assigned to the New York Yankees’ St. Petersburg, Florida spring training facility in the first exhibition season, where he impressed the manager of the Yankees, Case Stengel. He went on to umpire several Yankee Games.

Smith umpired 798 major league games in his 5-year career. He also worked two All-Star Games in 1961 and 1963 and even got to call a World Series - the 1964 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees. An Associated Press photo at the 1964 World Series shows Game 5, bottom of the ninth inning of the 1964 World Series with the caption: Alaric Smith, the first-base umpire, faces off with New York Yankees’ manager Yogi Berra after Joe Pepitone, right, was called out (after a throw by Cardinal’s pitcher Bob Gibson) on a close play. Despite the chewing-out Smith received, film proved Smith made the correct call. Although the Yankees finished first, they lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals. Yogi Berra was subsequently fired by the Yankees, who cited a lack of clubhouse communication. In the days following the World Series, clubhouse drama continued for both teams. Johnny Keane resigned as manager of the Cardinals, and was then hired by the Yankees! Alaric Smith also was let go after the 1964 season, reportedly for a variety of off-field issues. The “official” cause was that he had exceeded a weight limit, according to sportswriter Nico Van Thyn.

The Times: 23 Mar 1962

Article by: Pam Carlisle

Alaric Smith still umpired in the minor leagues and had a 32-year career as a salesman of recreational vehicles for Randy’s Travel Town. He passed away on November 14, 2006 in Bossier City, at age 81.

For more Bossier sports history, stop by the Bossier Parish Library History Center at 2206 Beckett St, Bossier City, LA. We are open M-Th 10-8, Fri 10-6, and Sat 10-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org

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