Frederick William Smith (born Schmidt) (April, 1861 – May 24, 1928) was an American professional baseball pitcher from 1886 to 1889. He played Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines in 1886, compiling a 5-4 win–loss record and a 4.09 earned run average (ERA). A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, he also pitched for minor league baseball clubs in the southern United States and was reported to have pitched more than one no-hitter and to have once struck out 22 batters in a game and 70 batters in four games.
Early years Smith was born in 1861 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents, George Schmidt and Catherine (Kohlman) Schmidt were both immigrants to the United States from Germany.
Professional baseball Smith began his professional baseball career in 1886 as a minor league pitcher for the Southern Association club in Macon, Georgia. He compiled an 11-7 and 1.05 ERA for Macon in 1886.
Smith next played for the Detroit Wolverines of the National League from July 6 to September 13, 1886. He started nine games as a pitcher for Detroit and also appeared in one game as an outfielder. He threw nine complete games and compiled a 5-4 record with a 4.09 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched.
A newspaper article in The Times-Picayune reported that Smith married a young lady from New Orleans' Sixth Ward shortly before leaving for Macon, Georgia, to join the Detroit team in early March 1887.(article available on-line through ancestry.com) However, in April 1887, the Detroit club sold Smith for $500 to the Memphis Grays of the Southern League. Smith played for Memphis from 1887 to 1889.("Billy Smith has been batted hard of late. What is the trouble, Billy?")("So Far Manager Jimmy Woods, of Memphis, has signed Billy Smith, pitcher . . .") He compiled a 2-6 record and a 3.49 ERA for Memphis during the 1888 season. He also played for the Mobile, Alabama, club during the 1889 season.("Billy Smith pitched for the home nine, and, although hit hard, the hits were scattered until the ninth inning, when the visitors pounded out seven runs and tied the score.")
According to Smith's obituary from The Times-Picayune, Smith was the first baseball player from New Orleans to gain nationwide fame. The obituary states that, in addition to the clubs mentioned above, he also played professional baseball for clubs in Columbus, Georgia, Savannah, Georgia, and "several local teams." According to the obituary, Smith pitched more than one no-hitter and once struck out 22 batters in a game and 70 batters in four games.(on-line copy of the obituary is available on ancestry.com)
Family and later years Smith was married in March 1887 to Katherine Rapp.Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Louisiana, Marriage Records Index, 1831-1920 [database on-line]. After retiring from baseball, Smith returned to New Orleans. In 1900, Smith was employed as a cooper and was living in New Orleans with his wife, Katherine, and their four children: William (born August 1890), Louise (born April 1892), Katherine (born May 1894) and Helen (born August 1898).1900 U.S. Census entry for William Schmidt, born April 1861 in Louisiana, parents born in Germany, married for 13 years. Census Place: New Orleans Ward 13, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: 575; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 0125; FHL microfilm: 1240575. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. In 1900, he worked in the warehouse of a cooperage.1910 U.S. Census entry for William Schmidt, age 48, born in Louisiana, parents born in Germany, wife Katie and children, William, Jr., Louisa, Katie and Helen. Census Place: New Orleans Ward 13, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: T624_524; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0207; FHL microfilm: 1374537. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. He also worked in his later years as a clerk in a cotton warehouse.1920 U.S. Census entry for William Schmidt, age 58, born in Louisiana, parents born in Germany, wife Katie and children, Helen. Employed as a clerk in a cotton warehouse. Census Place: New Orleans Ward 13, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: T625_624; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 223; Image: 77. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. He died in New Orleans in May 1928 at age 67.Death record for William F. Schmidt, age 67, born abt 1861, died 24 May 1928 . Source Citation: Orleans Death Indices 1918-1928; Volume: 196; Page: 1042. Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Louisiana, Death Records Index, 1804-1949 [database on-line]. He was buried at the Valence Street Cemetery in New Orleans.
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