A Lovable Loser Who Really Wasn't

Cubs Beat Braves in Ninth On Roy Smalley's Single, 7-6 (The Washington Post, Aug 26, 1950) A ninth-inning double by Hank Sauer, plus Roy Smalley's single scoring the winning run, gave the Chicago Cubs a 7-6 victory over the Boston Braves today with two out in the ninth inning.

Sadly, there weren't enough days like the one described above, but Roy Smalley was a hero. He was my hero.

Roy Frederick Smalley, Jr. (born June 9, 1926 in Springfield, Missouri) was a shortstop for the Chicago Cubs from 1948 through 1953. He batted and threw right handed. His son Roy III also is a former shortstop who played in the American League (1975-1987).

In an 11-season career, Smalley was a .227 hitter with 61 home runs and 305 RBI in 872 games played. His best season was 1950 when he posted career highs in home runs (21), RBI (85), runs (58), hits (128) and doubles (21), including a hitting for the cycle game on June 28. Some sources claim he was error-prone and that he led the National League in shortstop errors each year with the Cubs, but he also led NL shortstop in total chances per game in 1949 and 1950 and in putouts, assists and double plays in 1950. He hit 21 home runs in 1950 while striking out a league-leading 114 times. During this period, I attended the games in Wrigley Field quite often to root for my beloved Cubbies. My good friend Don who was a Cardinal fan often accompanied me and we used to love sitting in the bleachers because there was so much drama. Bleacher bums are passionate and they have a lot to say and they and they're not shy about it. Cub fans saw the potential in Roy Smalley and hoped that he would develop into a real star, but that didn't happen. So, some Cub fans were really down on Roy Smalley and taunted him unmercifully, but some of us kept rooting for him and kept believing that he was going to make it. It never happened, but Roy Smalley was not a loser, not in my book. He got to balls that were impossible to get to, and he made spectacular throws to first -- he brought tremendous excitement to the game, and sometimes was a hero with his bat. He never made it big, but you had to admire his passion for the game. He never gave less than 100%. On one of those beautiful days in Chicago, Don and I were enjoying a magical Wrigley Field afternoon in the bleachers and the bleacher bums were really getting on Smalley, and the game hadn't even started yet. Smalley was shagging flyballs in the outfield near where we were sitting and some guy stands up and after hurling several insults at Smalley, says "Smalley, next year you're gonna be in the minors!" And, Smalley turned around and looked the guy right in the eye and said, "Good, then I won't have to look at that ugly face of yours." I say, "Bravo, Roy Smalley, Thanks for all the excitement you brought to the game." And, you'll always be a winner in my book.