Mark Smith, 1994 Score Select #408

It's Mark Smith's 43rd birthday today, which is the kind of information that you're only going to get here...or through a quick Google search...or by reading the back of a 20-year-old baseball card. Ahem. Anywise, help yourself to a hearty stew of Mark Smith Fun Facts!

• There have been two Mark Smiths in MLB history. The first was a righthanded pitcher who gave up 11 runs on 24 hits in 14.2 innings for the Athletics in 1983. Therefore, the Orioles' Mark Smith is the greatest Mark Smith to ever play the game. (The 13 Mark Smiths who have played in the minors, but not the majors, look at Mark's career OPS of .719 and marinate in their own envy.)
• Mark was the Birds' first-round pick, ninth overall, in the 1991 draft. Players chosen later in that round include Manny Ramirez, Cliff Floyd, and Shawn Green. Of course, Al Shirley, Scott Ruffcorn, and Tom McKinnon were also later first-round picks that year, so why second-guess?
• According to Baseball Reference, Smith's agent was Arn Tellem. I always thought that was a funny name. Just roll it around on your tongue.
• Mark played 67 total games with the O's from 1994-1996. He had a pair of three-hit games. They came on back-to-back days: August 25 and August 26, 1995.
• On September 22, 1995, Mark Smith was intentionally walked in the ninth inning with the Orioles leading the Brewers 10-3. Jeffrey Hammonds had just hit a one-out double, and Jeff Huson was on deck. Huson was retired on a foul pop to third base, and Jarvis Brown struck out, so I guess Phil Garner's strategy...worked? It was one of four career intentional walks for Smith.
• He hit seven home runs as an Oriole. So did Jake Fox, Jeff Tackett, and pitcher Jack Harshman, among others.
• Smith started four games in center field for the Expos in 2001, which suggests that Felipe Alou was just making sure that everyone was paying attention. For what it's worth, Mark handled nine chances without an error.