Former Cubs outfielder Dwight Smith dies at 58

CHICAGO – On one of the most popular Cubs teams in franchise history, he was one of the players that brought production and joy to the club.

Dwight Smith was always smiling during his time in Chicago when he helped the Cubs to their second division championship in franchise history.

Those are moments that people are remembering about the outfielder after his death at the age of 58 on Friday. The news was announced by the Atlanta Braves, who were the final team that Smith played for in his major league career.

Drafted by the Cubs in 1984, Smith made his debut in 1989 and found his spot in the outfield as the season went along. In 109 games, he hit .324 with 19 doubles, nine home runs, and a 52 RBI as he finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting to his teammate Jerome Walton.

Smith would bring an end to one of the great comebacks in Cubs history that season on August 29th at Wrigley Field. Down 9-0 to the Astros in the sixth inning, the outfielder’s walk-off single in the tenth gave them an improbable 10-9 win over Houston.

His efforts helped the Cubs to a 93-69 record to win the National League Eastern Division for the second time in franchise history.

Along with his exploits on the field, Smith had one of the light-hearted moments of the 1989 season when he sang the National Anthem ahead of the Cubs game against the Giants at Wrigley Field on July 21st. He would do the same during the team’s home opener against the Cardinals in 1991.

Smith played for the Cubs through the 1993 season, finishing with a .285 batting average with 32 homers and 159 RBI in 536 games.

He played for both the Angels and Orioles in the strike-shortened 1994 season before joining the Braves in 1995. Smith played in 111 games and nine in the playoffs as the franchise won their first World Series title while playing in Atlanta.

The outfielder played one more season in Atlanta in 1996 before retiring.