Michele Smith (softball)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 21, 1967 Califon, New Jersey |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma State University (1989) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Softball |
| College team | Oklahoma State Cowboys |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's softball | ||
Representing  United States
| ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 |
1996 Atlanta | Team competition |
|
2000 Sydney | Team competition |
Michele Mary Smith (born June 21, 1967, in Califon, New Jersey) is left-handed fastpitch softball pitcher. Smith is a double Olympic Softball gold medalist with the United States women's national softball team, having played in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.[1] She has been ESPN's lead college softball color analyst since 1998.[1]
In 2012, Smith became the first woman to serve as commentator for a nationally-televised Major League Baseball game.[2]
Early life and education
Smith started playing softball at the age of 5.[3] She attended Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner, New Jersey, where she set school records for wins, strikeouts and no-hitters. She continued her pitching career at Oklahoma State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in health and wellness and finishing with a 0.75 Earned Run Average.[1]
On July 21, 1986, while Smith's father was driving her home from an oral surgeon's appointment, the sleeping Smith was thrown from the truck when her door opened on a turn. She was thrown into a roadside post, chopping off part of her elbow bone and tearing her triceps from her left arm, which severed the muscle and nerve endings in her golden pitching arm. The accident forced her to not only face the trauma of her injury, but also the end of her life as she had known it. "It was like losing my identity," she says. Her life was far from over: after 9 intensive months of rehab she made her comeback as a pitcher at Oklahoma State University. She returned throwing 3 mph faster than before the accident.[3]
Personal life
Softball is not Smith's only calling: she has also played basketball and field hockey.[3] She is often called Smitty, Lefty, and Silky (for her "silky" arm swing).
Honors
- New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame (1998).[4]
- Shasta County, California Sports Hall of Fame.[5]
- Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame (2006).[6]
- Eight-time Japan Pro Softball League champion & MVP.[3]
Associated teams
- Team USA, 1992–2002.[1]
- Redding Rebels, 1993–1995.[1][5][7]
- Toyota Shokki (Japanese Professional Softball League), 1993–2008.[1]
- New York/New Jersey Juggernaut (NPF), 2001 and 2004.[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Smith, Michele. "Bio". The Official Website of Michele Smith. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ Newman, Mark (2012-08-19). "Softball Legend Smith Makes History in TV Booth". MLB. Archived from the original on 2015-12-05.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d Smith, Michele. "Fun Facts". The Official Website of Michele Smith. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
- ^ "Annual Awards". New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 2007-05-21.
- ^ a b "Enrollees". Shasta County Sports Hall of Fame.
- ^ "Hall of Fame Members". ASA/USA Softball.
- ^ "The History of the Redding Rebels".
- ^ "Historical Rosters". National Pro Fastpitch.
External links
- Softball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Softball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in softball
- Oklahoma State University alumni
- Oklahoma State Cowgirls softball players
- Olympic softball players of the United States
- Major League Baseball announcers
- People from Califon, New Jersey
- 1967 births
- Living people
- Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics