Hilton Smith was born on this date in Giddings, Texas;
1907. Although the most well-known
pitcher in Negro League baseball was the great Satchel Paige, many former Negro
League players have said the toughest hurler they faced was Hilton Smith. With his quiet and reserved nature, Smith did
not attract as much media attention as the boisterous and flamboyant Paige. However, the six foot two Texan got the
respect of Negro League batters because of the variety of pitches he threw with
precision control; including what was considered the best curve ball in Negro
League baseball. From 1937 -1948, Smith
was a part of the Kansas City Monarch pitching staff; which including Satchel
Paige, that led the team to six Negro American League pennants and a Negro League
World Series Championship. Hilton Smith pitched
in seven Negro League East-West All Star Games and was elected to the National
Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
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