BIO:

Most softball players never even dream about winning a state, national or world tournament.  But Michael Anthony “Mike” Smith had already won all three by the time he was only eighteen.  Playing with Avoca Park, J. R. Express, Freeze Concrete and H & W for twenty-four years, Smith – the common thread behind each team’s success – became a virtual icon at the B level in Greater Cincinnati.  In fact, one could make a case that his name was synonymous with B softball for a quarter of a century locally, and that he was the consummate – if not quintessential – class B softball player.  Despite the fact that Smith spent most of his career playing at the B level, his skill-set was such that even the best teams in Greater Cincinnati recognized that he was one of the premier 2^nd basemen in the tri-state, and unequivocally the best defensive 2^nd baseman.  Not only was he named to the All-Decade first team for the nineties in 2000, he was also selected to the All-Century team.  Achieving such honors was virtually unheard of for a B player.  But those accomplishments were just icing on the cake for Smith’s 27-year career.  Additionally, he has made ten world tournament appearances, captured three national titles – including the ASA 16-18 under Boys Youth Nationals in 1979 at the age of 18 – and ten state championships.  His Freeze teams won back-to-back USSSA B National titles in 2003 and 2004.   And in 1992, he led his 1992 J. R. Express team to an Open Metro title, which was an unprecedented achievement for a B team.  Smith’s individual awards also included being named MVP in two state tournaments and the ’91 Metro, and runner-up B “Player of the Year” in 1984 and 1995, and B “Player of the Year” in 1989.  In addition to his unrivaled defensive skills at 2^nd base, Smith compiled a .609 lifetime batting average – most of which was done before the onset of composite bats.  He also had great speed and was a renowned clutch hitter.