Alaric Smith

From Fort Smith Park to Yankee Stadium

Alaric Smith, who was born and raised in Bossier City, began his career in sports at old Fort Smith Park, umpiring recreational baseball while he was still a student at Bossier High School. From officiating Victory League baseball and city softball games in his hometown, Smith climbed the ladder all the way up to the Major Leagues where he worked as an American League umpire for six seasons.

His break in organized baseball came in 1951 when he was umpiring in the Class C Big States League. The league president recommended him to the officials of the Class A Gulf Coast League. Later the Class AA Texas League bought his contract.

Smith reached the Majors at the end of the 1959 season and stayed there until 1965. He was assigned to the New York Yankees’ St. Petersburg spring training facility in his first exhibition season where he impressed Yankee Manager Casey Stengel with his work.

He umpired several Yankee games when Roger Maris hit a record 61 home runs in 1961. In fact, he was among The Men in Blue during what many consider The Golden Age of Baseball, when legends like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Ted Williams roamed the Major Leagues and were household names.

It was Williams, considered one of the greatest hitters of all time, who stepped to his defense during Smith’s rookie season. New York Yankees catcher Elston Howard was complaining about Smith’s call of balls and strikes with Williams at the plate. “Leave that young fella alone,” Williams cautioned Howard. “He’s better than most of the old guys we’ve got up here.”

Smith was part of the umpire crew for the 1964 World Series between the Saint Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees, which featured the Yankee’s Mantle and Maris and the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson.

Alaric Smith called  two Major League All Star Games. He was part of the crew for the 1961 Midsummer Classic at Fenway Park in Boston, a rare tie game due to rain, and in 1963 in Memorial Stadium in Cleveland.

Smith, who was highly regarded by a wealth of friends among area baseball men,  was a proud resident of Bossier City until his death  in November 2006.