Known as The Wizard of Oz, Ozzie Smith was the greatest defensive shortstop in baseball history and arguably the sports best defensive player at any position. A 15-time All-Star with 13 Gold Gloves, Ozzie Smith got his start with the San Diego Padres and spent most of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 19 seasons in the Majors, Ozzie Smith set shortstop records for assists, double plays and total chances. Although known for his work in the field, he was also a solid hitter and his memorable ninth-inning home run won the fifth game of the 1985 National League Championship Series for the Cardinals. He was also a force on the base paths, stealing 580 bases in his career to rank in the top 20 all time in that category. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and St. Louis Walk of Fame, Ozzie Smith will always be remembered for his acrobatic catches and running backflip he performed before big games. His victory in the 1982 World Series is just one of the many possible Ozzie Smith speaker topics. Whatever the subject, Ozzie Smith is guaranteed to be entertaining, just as he was on the field. After his playing career was over, baseball fans still got to enjoy Ozzie Smith appearances on TV when he took over as host of This Week in Baseball. A 1992 episode of The Simpsons also featured an Ozzie Smith appearance.
