Downtown in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Osborne "Ozzie" Smith
"The Wizard"
Photographed By Jason Voigt, April 3, 2023
1. Osborne "Ozzie" Smith Marker
St. Louis, N.L., 1982-1996
Revolutionized defensive play at shortstop with his acrobatic fielding and artistic turning of double plays. The 13-time Gold Glove winner set six major league fielding records among shortstops, including most assists, double plays and chances accepted. As an offensive catalyst, he accumulated 2,460 hits and stole 580 bases. Named to 15 All-Star teams, his relentless pursuit of perfection helped lead the Cardinals to three World Series, including a 1982 championship. His congenial personality, consummate professionalism and trademark back flip made "The Wizard" a fan favorite.
[Other side:]
Unveiled August 11, 2002
This statue shows Oz in one of his "patented" dives... known throughout baseball as "The Wizard" for being one of the best fielding shortstops of all time... redefined the position in his nearly two decades at work at one of the game's more demanding positions... 580 stolen bases... 2460 hits... his "Go Crazy Folks" home run beat Dodgers in 1985 NLCS.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Baseball Hall of Famers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1982.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Stanley Frank Musial (here, next to this marker); Jay Hanna (Dizzy) Dean (here, next to this marker); Enos Bradsher Slaughter (here, next to this marker); Albert Fred Schoendienst (here, next to this marker); Louis Clark Brock (a few steps from this marker); Robert Gibson (a few steps from this marker); James Thomas Bell (a few steps from this marker); George Harold Sisler (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.
Also see . . .
1. Ozzie Smith on Wikipedia. (Submitted on April 3, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
2. Ozzie Smith (HOF profile). From the National Baseball Hall of Fame website, this chronicles the legendary ballplayer's career. Smith was elected to the HOF in 2002, his first year of eligibility. (Submitted on April 3, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
3. Ozzie Smith on baseball-reference.com. Contains a more-detailed profile about his Major League career, statistics and achievements
Photographed By Jason Voigt, April 3, 2023
2. Osborne "Ozzie" Smith Marker
Additional keywords. baseball, Major League Baseball
Photographed By Jason Voigt, April 3, 2023
3. Osborne "Ozzie" Smith Marker
Markers and statue are located at the northwestern corner of Busch Stadium
Credits. This page was last revised on April 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 159 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 3, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
