Smith had his best year with the 1920 World Champion Indians, hitting .316, with 12 home runs and 103 RBI. In that year's World Series, his homer off Hall of Famer Burleigh Grimes of Brooklyn in the first inning of Game Five was the first grand slam in Series history. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 1, 1917: In the bottom of the 1st inning at Cleveland, Tris Speaker tries to steal home with Joe Evans batting (as noted by Retrosheet). Evans swings and lines the ball into Speaker's face. Tiger manager Hugh Jennings allows a courtesy fielder Elmer Smith to play CF in the 2nd frame while Speaker has his face stitched. Speaker then returns to CF in the 3rd. » September 10, 1920: In the bottom of the first of an event-laden game, Grimes gives up hits to Charlie Jamieson, Bill Wambsganss, and Speaker. OF Elmer Smith then hits the first grand slam in World Series history, jumping on a Grimes spitter in the opening inning. In the 3rd, P Jim Bagby comes up with two on and crashes another Grimes delivery for a 3-run home run, the first ever by a pitcher in World Series play. Bagby is roughed for 13 hits, but he gets out of jams with the aid of three DPs and an unassisted triple play. In the 5th with Pete Kilduff on 2B and Otto Miller on 1B, relief pitcher Clarence Mitchell hits a line drive at SS Wambsganss, who steps on 2B and tags the off-and-running Miller before he can retreat. Cleveland dominates, 8–1. » September 5, 1921: Browns pitcher Urban Shocker takes his first loss after winning nine in a row. Elmer Smith's two home runs pace a 10–5 Indians win in a morning game to back Guy Morton's pitching. In the afternoon game, a 12–8 St. Louis win, Smith starts off with another one. Having hit one in Detroit the day before, Smith has seven straight extra base hits in three games—a ML record—for 22 total bases (3 doubles, four home runs + two walks). Earl Sheehy, in 1926, will seven long hits in just two games—a ML record—but he will sandwich those around a sac fly. » July 23, 1922: The Yankees start planning for the Series when they pick up 3B Joe Dugan and one-time Cleveland World Series hero Elmer Smith from Boston, giving up OF Elmer Miller, SS Chick Fewster, SS John Mitchell, and, later, P Lefty O'Doul. The contending Browns and other western clubs howl in protest and this deal will lead to a rule barring nonwaiver trades after June 15th. » July 24, 1922: In the midst of a pennant fight with the Browns, the Yankees obtain Joe Dugan and OF Elmer Smith from the Red Sox for OF Chuck Fewster, SS John Mitchell, and OF Elmer Miller. This latest Sox-Yanks deal engenders such outrage in St. Louis that Commissioner Landis recommends passage of the rule that no deals, except waiver transactions, can be made after June 15.