Coach Tracy Smith on jersey #13 — If you hit .385 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI then its yours.
1) Tracy Smith has a bad-ass bucket list
In an interview with nextlevelballplayer.com, Smith listed the top five things on his bucket list. It’s impressive, to say the least.
- Be in an action movie!!!
- Travel outside of the country more. Anywhere.
- Hang out with Will Smith for a couple days.
- See all my boys play college athletics.
- Of course, get to Omaha.
Though I doubt Smith will be hanging out with “The Fresh Prince” much in Tempe, hopefully he can achieve that trip to Omaha as a Sun Devil. We’ll see what we can do about that world travel Tracy, but no guarantees.
2) His Twitter game is strong
Do yourself a favor. Follow Tracy Smith on Twitter at @ASUSkip. He drops dandies on the daily, holds Q & A sessions, and is always drumming up excitement for the upcoming baseball season. Here’s a sampling:
Tracy Smith, formerly Head Coach at Indiana University
3) He’s a man of experience
This is Tracy Smith’s third managerial stint in college baseball. He coached at his alma mater, Miami University, from 1997-2005 and led Indiana University from 2006-2013. He’s been coaching since 1993 and was the 2013 National Coach of the Year after leading Indiana to the school’s first ever College World Series appearance.
4) You’ll have to earn the number 13 in Tempe now
If you want to wear Smith’s number, 13, at Arizona State University…. good luck. Smith told Pac-12.com, “I always get asked by my players, Coach can I get number 13, and I have always said if you hit .385 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI then its yours.”
5) He helped build two state-of-the-art stadiums
At Miami, Smith was instrumental in building a 3.7 million dollar facility. Four years of planning resulted in a completely renovated Stanley G. McKie Field. At Indiana, he helped build Bart Kaufman Field in 2012. He will head into a new stadium as the Sun Devil manager when the Sun Devils move to Phoenix Municipal Stadium for the 2015 campaign.
Tracy Smith with ASU Athletic Director, Ray Anderson. Photo- ASU Athletics
6) He used to play
Tracy Smith played four years of ball at Miami, as a pitcher and infielder. He spent three years in the minor leagues in the Chicago Cubs organization.
7) He was Indiana’s 9th highest paid coach in 2013
IndyStar.com reported that Smith made over $300,000 in 2013, making him the highest paid baseball coach in the state of Indiana.
Forty-Nine of Smith’s players have become Major League ballplayers.
8) He is Tracy Smith, baseball coach
Not Tracy Smith, comedian. Or Tracy Smith, long distance runner. Or Tracy Smith, American news correspondent. Or Tracy Smith of the CIA.
9) Baseball is a family affair for him
Tracy’s son, Casey, played under him at Indiana. Despite playing through a debilitating condition called reactive arthritis, Casey Smith batted .309 with five home runs, 34 RBI and nine doubles in 2013. Another one of Tracy Smith’s sons, Ty, played football for Indiana.
UPDATE: On Dec. 24, 2014, Skip tweeted,
“My son made this video that was picked up by @MLBFanCave. ASU needs one. You’re grounded!”
10) Tracy Smith has developed Major League talent
Four of Tracy Smith’s players have reached “The Show” since 2010. Graham Taylor, John Ely (2010), Jake Dunning and Josh Phegley (2013) have all seen Major League innings. Forty-Nine of Smith’s players have become Major League ballplayers, 19 of his players have been drafted within the first ten rounds.
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