Heinie Smith – Broad Leaf 350 (SGC 3.5)

Description

PLAYER: Heinie Smith

TEAM: Buffalo Bisons

LEAGUE: Eastern League

BACK: Broad Leaf 350 (9/39)

GRADE: SGC 3.5 VG+

THE CARD

A splendid example of Buffalo Bisons second baseman Heinie Smith featuring the rare Broad Leaf 350 advertising reverse (ranked 9 of 39 in terms of scarcity according to T206 Resource).

HEINIE SMITH

George Henry Smith

Born: October 24, 1871 – Pittsburgh, PA

Died: June 25, 1939 – Buffalo, NY

Batted: RH

Threw: RH

Position: 2B

Career BA: .238

Managerial Record: 5–2

Teams:

Louisville Colonels NL (1897–1898)

Pittsburgh Pirates NL (1899)

New York Giants NL (1901; player/manager: 1902)

Detroit Tigers AL (1903)

Basically a part-time second baseman, George “Heinie” Smith had 1 decent year as a starter, batting .252 for the Giants in 1902. He also managed the Giants for part of that year, without success, going 5–27, before he was replaced by John McGraw. After his MLB days, Smith went to the Eastern League for 10 more years as both a player and manager for the likes of the Rochester Bronchos and the Buffalo Bisons. He had some moderate success as manager of the Bronchos in 1903 and 1904 and the Bisons from 1907 to 1909. Smith retired at age 42 after a brief stint as manager of the Erie Yankees in the Canadian League. He was a career .255 hitter in the minors.

An excerpt from the hit book “The T206 Collection – The Players & Their Stories” by Tom & Ellen Zappala. Click HERE to order the SECOND EDITION