Former White Sox OF Al Smith dead at 73

AP-NY-01-03-02 1923EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Al Smith, a two-time All-Star whose home run helped clinch the 1959 American League pennant for the Chicago White Sox, died Thursday after a brief illness. He was 73. 

Smith spent five seasons with the White Sox during a 12-year major league career. Acquired with Hall of Famer Early Wynn from Cleveland in December 1957 for Fred Hatfield and Minnie Minoso, he homered against the Indians on September 22, 1959 to help the White Sox capture their first pennant in 40 years. 

Chicago lost the World Series in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Smith provided one of the lasting images. In Game Two at Comiskey Park, he chased a home run off the bat of Charley Neal and was doused by a beer from a fan in the front row of the left field grandstand. 

On August 26, 1959, the White Sox hosted "Al Smith Night" at Comiskey Park. 

Smith hit a career-best .315 for Chicago in 1960 and followed that a year later by posting career highs with 28 home runs and 93 RBI. An outfielder and third baseman, he appeared in the All-Star Game in 1955 and 1960 and was a career .272 hitter with 164 home runs and 676 RBI in 1,517 games. 

Smith also played for Baltimore and Boston before retiring following the 1964 season. He went on to work for the Chicago Park District and was a part-time community relations representative for the White Sox. 

Smith is survived by his wife, Mildred, four children and 11 grandchildren.  Funeral arrangements were pending.