Former major league outfielder Dwight Smith has passed away, according to an announcement from the Braves. He was 58 years old.
“We are saddened by the passing earlier today of Dwight Smith, an integral member of our 1995 World Series Championship team,” the Braves said in a statement. “The 1989 NL Rookie of the Year runner up, Dwight enjoyed an eight-year major league career that included two postseason trips with the Cubs and Braves. Dwight was also a beloved alumni member, and his infectious smile will be missed around Truist Park. Our deepest condolences to his wife Cheryl, daughters Taylor and Shannyn, and son, Dwight, Jr.”
As the team mentioned, Smith broke into the majors with an excellent season. He hit .324/.382/.493 through 381 plate appearances with the Cubs in 1989, finishing runner-up to teammate Jerome Walton in that year’s Rookie of the Year balloting. He’d spend the next few seasons on the North Side of Chicago, seeing action all around the outfield. After a few down years, Smith rebounded to post a strong .300/.355/.494 showing across 111 games in 1993.
Smith split the 1994 campaign between the Angels and Orioles before joining Atlanta in advance of the ’95 season. He’d spent the next two years with the Braves as a part-time player, appearing in 204 regular season games between 1995-96. Smith saw a bit of playoff action that first year, which culminated in a World Series title. Altogether, he appeared in more than 800 contest over parts of eight seasons. He tallied just fewer than 2000 plate appearances, hitting .275/.333/.422 with 46 home runs, 42 stolen bases and 226 runs batted in.
MLBTR joins others around the game in sending our condolences to Smith’s family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.
RIP Mr. Smith, and my condolences to Dwight Jr. and the rest of the family.
So cute seeing all the Braves trolls here.
U really gonna be like this on a man’s death post smh
Despicable take, Books. RIP Dwight and sincere condolences to his friends and family.
Aw, you feel better?
Mute him. I just did.
Bravo, Tuna man
Are you a sociopath?
If he’s not, he’s certainly an avowed Braves hater and serial troll. I’ll be glad to pay for the content on the site, but I refuse to do so as long as this demented troll is allowed to post here.
How many accounts do you have, Books? This nearly a replica comment by Animal(something or other) that was deleted earlier because it’s crass and disrespectful no matter who sees it. It’s pretty sad to have multiple accounts on a site like this, and flat out pathetic to made comments about a person that passed away today. Find a mirror and fix that child looking back at you…
‘Books’
You HAD a 10 game lead, now that lead is just 1.5 games. I hope you have enough toilet paper, or you might just have to start ripping pages out of your magazines…I am sure you have no books for that exercise. Disrepectful bums like you always end up with their foot in their mouths.
RIP Dwight Smith.
Let’s go Mets!
Hm…. 5 likes on Books’ comment in under an hour. 5 alts: MetsFan22, Marlins Front Office, Animalize, You Can Put It In The Books, and one other that I haven’t found yet.
Promise, Jeff?
I’ve got one account, Steinbrenner. But you’ve got a few yourself, MarlinsFanBase 😉
‘Books’
You better get to Walmart and buy more magazines, 0.5 games behind now, keep talking…..
RIP DWIGHT. One of my favorite players from the Chicago Cubs.☹️Terrible news.
So young. Rip
Dwight Smith and Jerome Walton sure brought a lot of excitement as rookies in 1989. R.I.P.
This was the first team I really followed closely. WGN showed a lot of their games on TV and I watched most of them. Smitty, Walton, and The Hawk in the outfield. Fun team to watch.
The Boys of Zimmer!
my favorite team growing up.
To this day I don’t understand how or why Jerome Walton beat him out for Rookie of the Year.
He was a good dude. One night I saw him and he said hi
I’ll never forget his game winning hit in that epic comeback win against the Astros in ‘89. Houston led 9-0 before the Cubs stormed back and won 10-9 in extras. Dwight had the game winning hit. Had a sweet swing and a great smile. RIP Dwight.
Damn that sucks. I always remember being very disappointed when I was a kid and seeing his 1990 rookie baseball card didn’t have the little gold trophy on it for being an All Star rookie. I didn’t watch AL baseball, so I couldn’t fathom how that Griffey kid got one and the guy that came in 2nd in ROY didn’t. RIP Dwight. For this one kid you were better than Ken Griffey Jr for a moment in time.
I thought so highly of Dwight that rookie season that I bought 75 of his Donruss rookie baseball cards at a card show. Horrible money spent, but I was so rooting for Dwight and thrilled to see his son makes The Show. This is terrible news; RIP Dwight and much love to your entire family.
RIP! Took hitting lesson from him growing up… great guy, lot of fun, made me love the game even more!
How did he smell?
I was on strike for a few years in the mid-90s. So, I didn’t realize Dwight won a ring with the Braves. Glad to read he got that and hope his death was painless.
Lots of memories of Dwight and the gang. Summer of ’95. Unemployed me watching the Braves. on cable I couldn’t even afford. Thanks for some great moments, Dwight.
I remember his awesome short stint with the O’s. I was also optimistic about his son getting his shot with the O’s as well.
Saddened to hear this news.
I remember him from 89 and the next few cubs years. Didn’t realize he got a ring.
RIP Dwight. One of my absolute favorite players as a kid.
Saw him play for the Pittsfield, MA Cubs in the AA Eastern League in 1987.
I remember how excited I was when the Angels signed Dwight for the 1994 season and thinking, “we finally have a .300 hitter!” I also remember Dwight had a passion for singing and sang the National Anthem in one of the Angels games. RIP.
I was at the game when smith jr hit his first grand slam when his pops was in the crowd. Proud moment for both of them. Sad news. Praying for the family
In 1989, the Cubs had the best record in the NL but most outside of Wriglleyville thought the team was a pretender. Don Zimmer did a great job that year.
He looks high in his BB Ref page picture.
My brother played college baseball with Dwight at Spartanburg Methodist College. He was a great person who always had a smile on his face. My brother said he was one of the best teammate and was so giving. The world has lost a great man.