Hilton Smith - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

It took the Baseball Hall Of Fame more than a half century to recognize the extraordinary talents of the K.C. Monarchs' "other pitcher" during the late 1930s and 1940s. In an era when the colorful Satchel Paige was the darling of black sportswriters and, consequently, the fan favorite on any day, the brilliant career of Hilton Smith never quite received the attention it deserved.

Smith had a solid foundation of experience when he joined the K.C. Monarchs staff in 1936. Prior to donning the Kansas City uniform he had played two years of college ball in Texas and labored for four seasons with the Monroe Monarchs (Negro Southern League) and lesser southern clubs. When he arrived in Kansas City he was ready for business.

During each of his 12 seasons with the Monarchs he posted 20+ wins. He appeared in six consecutive East-West All-Star games from 1937-1942, and in 1941 posted a .961 winning percentage in a 25-1 season. To top it all off Smith contributed three .300+ seasons at the plate, making him as dangerous at the plate as he was on the mound.

After his retirement from baseball Smith served as a scout for the Chicago Cubs organization. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall Of Fame in 2001.

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Hilton Smith died on November 18, 1983 and is buried in the Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.

Description: Hilton Smith was born on February 27, 1907 in Sour Lake, Texas. He began his road to the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Austin Black Senators in Austin, Texas. He later played for the Monroe Monarchs in Monroe Louisiana and in 1935 and 1936 he played semi-pro baseball with teammates, Satchel Page, Ted Radcliffe and Barney Morris. In late 1936 Hilton Smith signed with the Kansas City Monarchs where he would play from 1937 until he retired in 1948. During his time with the Monarchs he won 20-games every year and unlike most pitchers he was a good hitter, batting over 300 during three separate seasons. He posted an overall record of 71-31 with a 1.68 ERA. Hilton Smith was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. Date of birth: 02/07/1907 Date of death: 11/18/1983 Area of notoriety: Sports Marker Type: Horizontal Marker Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily - 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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