WIZARD

Dubbed "Wizard" for his on-field magic, the Saint Louis Cardinals' All-Star shortstop recounts his youth in riot-torn Watts and his climb to become baseball's highest paid player, and offers fresh and outspoken opinions on very aspect of baseball today

Smith, popularly known as "The Wizard of Oz," is noteworthy in baseball history because he was the first primarily defensive player to be given a million-dollar contract. The famed shortstop has consistently raised his batting average, but at one time he was the archetypal good-field, no-hit star. Here, with coauthor Rains, sportswriter for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, he covers his years with the San Diego Padres, a team mired in or near last place when he was with them, and as a player now with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has amusing stories to tell, such as the one about Padres owner Joan Kroc's offer to hire him part-time as her assistant gardner, and presents controversial viewpoints, like the charge that umpires may be guilty of ruling against superstars because of jealousy over their huge salaries. By and large, however, this is a conventional baseball autobiography. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.