LOS ANGELES — Reggie Smith got his moment in the sun on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, as he was inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball ahead of the Dodgers game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Smith was surrounded by many of his former teammates from his six seasons with the Dodgers, which included pennants in 1977, 1978, and 1981, and a championship in that final trip to the Fall Classic.
“Those are pretty good ball clubs right there,” Smith said in a group interview before the ceremony. “It’s teammates like that that help to push you and inspire you do good things as we did for one another.”
Catcher Steve Yeager was in attendance, and said in a video, “Reggie Smith is a complete winner in any way, shape, or form.”
“There’s nothing he couldn’t do on a baseball field,” said Dusty Baker, who was inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball in 2024. “He had a shotgun arm, he had power, he was a great baserunner, a tremendous defensive player. And above all, probably one of the smartest baseball players that I’ve never been around.”
Eric Karros, who was rising through the Dodgers’ system when Smith was the organization’s minor league coordinator called Smith, “Probably outside of my father, and Tommy [Lasorda], probably the most impactful person for me in my career.”
The 81-year-old Smith was also surrounded by family, and was particularly happy that his 93-year-old brother and 95-year-old sister were in attendance as well.
Before the ceremony recounted his friendship with Dave Roberts, which goes back nearly three decades and includes annual trips to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It began when Smith was the hitting coach for Team USA in the Pan American Games in 1999, and Roberts was a player.
“We connected then and maintained that connection,” Smith said Saturday. “Dave is a good friend, and he’s like a son to me, but he’s also one of our group, we call ourselves The Outlaws.”
Among the highlights of the ceremony was speaker Rick Monday citing examples of Smith being someone the players listened to, and joked that Smith didn’t like being told he hit better left-handed than right-handed.
(Editor’s note: In Smith’s career, the switch-hitter hit .287/.369/.503 batting left-handed, and .288/.359/.455 right-handed. Monday was correct.)
In Smith’s first two full seasons with the Dodgers (1977-78), he finished fourth in National League MVP voting in both years.
“I don’t feel I was overlooked. I had a job to do,” Smith explained Saturday. “It was about trying to bring a world championship to Los Angeles, and played with a great bunch of guys.”
Among that great bunch of guys on hand for Saturday’s ceremony were Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Baker, and Manny Mota, all Legends of Dodger Baseball. Also there were fellow former teammates Yeager, Bill Russell, Ken Landreaux, Jerry Reuss, Charlie Hough, Derrel Thomas, Lee Lacy, Jerry Rotster.
Before the ceremony, Smith stumped for Davey Lopes — who passed away in April — and Russell to also be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball, so that all four members of the Dodgers famed infield that played together for eight and a half seasons would be together permanently at Dodger Stadium. Smith also ended his speech on the field calling for Lopes and Russell’s induction as well.