Phenomenal Smith

John Francis "Phenomenal" Smith (December 12, 1864 – April 3, 1952), born as John Francis Gammon, was an American professional baseball player and player-manager from 1884 to 1905. He played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a pitcher, for six different clubs.

In his eight seasons in the major leagues, Smith appeared as a pitcher in 140 games and compiled a 54–74 (.422) win–loss record with a 3.89 earned run average (ERA) and 519 strikeouts. He saw his most extensive playing time with the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association, compiling a 41–50 win–loss record during the 1887 and 1888 seasons.

Smith later served as a player-manager in the minor leagues from the early 1890s through 1905. He was credited with discovering Christy Mathewson in 1899 and developing him into an outstanding pitcher during the 1900 season.

Early years Smith was born in Manayunk, now a neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia, in 1864. He reportedly received the nickname "Phenomenal" after pitching a no-hitter against Baltimore on October 3, 1885. Only two batters reached base, one on an error and one on a base on balls, and Smith picked off both runners at first base.

Smith also played briefly during the 1885 and 1886 seasons for the Brooklyn Grays (one game, 1885), Philadelphia Athletics (one game, 1885), and Detroit Wolverines (three games, 1886). In his five major league games during the 1885 and 1886 seasons, Smith compiled a 1–3 record with a 5.11 ERA.

Baltimore Smith saw his most extensive playing time in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles during the 1887 and 1888 seasons. In 1887, Smith appeared in 58 games as a pitcher for Baltimore, including 55 as a starter. He threw 54 complete games and pitched 491 innings, compiling a record of 25–30 with a 3.79 ERA and 206 strikeouts. Smith met and played against Matthewson in 1899 while Matthewson was still attending Bucknell and pitching for the Taunton Herrings. The 19-year-old Mathewson compiled a 2–13 record for Taunton in 1899, but Smith saw potential. Smith signed Matthewson to play for his Norfolk Phenoms team for $90 a month, and under Smith's guidance, Matthewson compiled a 21–2 record and 0.74 ERA in 1900 and was promoted to the major leagues before the end of the season.

Smith spent the last five years of his baseball career as a player-manager for the Manchester, New Hampshire baseball club from 1901 to 1905. John was married to Hannah M. Smith in approximately 1900.

After retiring from baseball, Smith became a member of the Manchester, New Hampshire police department. He served in that capacity from approximately 1904 to 1932. He also coached the basketball team at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, for seven seasons between 1909 and 1932. In 1952, he died at a hospital in Manchester at age of 87. He was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Bedford, New Hampshire.