Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1996
From 1978 through 1981, there was no player more productive - or more honored - in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Smith was an all-conference selection in all four of those seasons, a feat unmatched in the history of Demon Deacon baseball, and in his senior campaign he was named the ACC Player of the Year. Smith hit .410 with 18 homers and 45 RBI to earn Player of the Year honors.
All-America honors came as well during that memorable spring when Smith ranked second in the nation in slugging percentage and fourth nationally with an ACC record (at that time) 18 home runs. He completed his career as the Deacon all-time leader in runs scored, homers and runs batted in. Smith was a 1981 All-America selection by both the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America.
Following his graduation from WFU, Smith entered the professional baseball ranks in the Seattle Mariners organization. As a first baseman, he battled a series of physical setbacks to maintain a path toward his goal of the major leagues. In 1986, he hit .344 with 101 RBI at Birmingham.
Finally, in September of 1987, then again the following spring, he reached the pinnacle of his profession with the Mariners. It had required much dedication, discipline and hard work, not to mention three elbow operations and overcoming a serious back problem, but he did make it. Smith was in the Majors with the Mariners for both the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
Brick Smith was inducted into the WFU Sports Hall of Fame on January 12, 1996. He was selected to the ACC's 50th Anniversary Team in 2002.
