reggie smith's final tributes

here's the last of the 1978 topps dodgers as they were in 1983.  this post is all about carl reginald smith, the right fielder of the team of my youth and, according to don sutton and others, more valuable to that team than steve garvey.

reggie gets a visit from a future hall of famer on his 1983 topps card

that's ryne sandberg getting back to the bag in candlestick.  it was weird to see reggie smith in a giants uniform during the 1982 season.  he was on the field in game 162 when joe morgan hit his 3-run homer off of terry forster to end the dodgers' postseason hopes.  in fact, the last at bat of smith's career came against his former teammate forster.  here's the back of smith's 1983 topps card, with his complete major league stats.

topps also gave reggie a super veteran card

there he is in his younger red sox days and in his final spring training, dressed as a giant.  it looks like they gave reggie a rookie number - 60.  that's weird.  reggie wound up wearing 14 for the nocals.  the back of the super vet card gives a nice rundown of reggie's major league accomplishments.

he hit a couple of big milestones with the giants in 1982.  

despite the fact that reggie had signed just a one year deal with the giants, and then signed with the tokyo giants in december of 1982, he was included in all three major card releases in 1983.  here is his 1983 donruss card

without his complete stats on the back

although they do use 'switch' instead of 'both' when referring to which side of the plate he hits from.  i hadn't noticed that before.

here's his 1983 fleer card

i like the 1970 topps set.  i don't care for 1983 fleer too much.  go figure.  anyway, fleer put all the stats on the back, like a good card company should.

reggie played two tumultuous years in japan battling injuries, fans, the media, and even japanese baseball culture itself.

reggie later returned to the dodgers as a hitting coach, and has also been involved in team usa in the same capacity.

here's to you, reggie smith!