Hall of Fame
David A. Smith ’94 – Class of 2005
Coachable…
The scientific method is a fancy term for learning by trial and error. Scientists intuitively understand the worth of experience and the potential for improvement that’s just beneath the frustration of an error.
This scientist arrived on the Heights as a solid baseball player after being selected captain and earning Most Valuable Player honors in both baseball and basketball at Maryvale High School. He left Le Moyne as a full-fledged Division One baseball star. Improving from game-to-game and season-to-season; he transformed himself from a scatter-armed shortstop with some pop in his bat into a dependable fielder who inspired fear in pitchers as he strode to the plate.
His coaches found him eager to learn and quick to adopt new techniques. Today, his name is sprinkled across Le Moyne’s all time power statistics with 14 home runs, 66 RBIs and a .875 slugging percentage in 1993. He was selected to the All-MAAC team three consecutive years and earned Player-of-the-Year honors in both the MAAC and ECAC in his final year.
The scientist was blossoming as well. Majoring in physics, he made the dean’s list seven out of the eight semesters and earned academic All-American honors.
Drafted by the Boston Red Sox, he played professional ball before beginning his career as a school teacher and baseball coach at Clarence High School.
As a husband, father and volunteer at baseball clinics, little league, and organizations that help needy families, he exemplifies Le Moyne’s call to service.
On the diamond at Le Moyne, his career demonstrated that talent can be polished by a constant effort to excel and willingness to learn. There is no higher accolade that a mentor can bestow than to call his charge “coachable.” Because he earned that accolade,
David A. Smith ‘94
Belongs in the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
October 15, 2005
