HALL OF FAME

Fred Smith enters the 2013 Hairston Hall of Fame as a baseball player from 1982 to 1985. Smith, a native of Columbia, Mo., was selected unanimously First Team All-Conference three times; He was also a two-time All-District selection. In 1984, he received All-Region honors and was named to the NAIA All-American Team. The first baseball player named All-American in Central’s history.

In the fall of 1983, Smith was invited to try out for the first United States Olympic Baseball team. He ended his playing career at Central with a career batting avg. of .427, averaging eight home runs and 40 RBI/season. Smith also had 14 wins as a pitcher. After his playing career at Central, he turned down two offers to play at the professional level with the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers.

After earning his undergraduate degree from CMC, Smith began his coaching career as an Assistant Baseball Coach and Residence Hall Director. Smith then taught and coached in public schools, where he coached several district champions, making two appearances in the final four.

He has a career record of 175-52 in high school baseball. In 2007, Smith was named the Head Baseball Coach at CMU.

Among his accomplishments, he received the CMU Champions of Character Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2012. In 2012, his squad was honored as the NAIA Champions of Character Baseball team of the Year. Smith was also recognized as the Heart of America Athletic Conference Champion of Character Baseball Coach of the Year. The 2013 Baseball Team won the Heart regular season title, the first in school history. They also won the conference tournament, for the first time since 1975, and made the school's first appearance in the NAIA World Series in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Smith was selected as the Heart Coach of the Year in 2013. In his six years as Head Coach, he coached 21 Academic All-Americans, two NAIA Honorable Mention All-Americans, and sent three players to professional baseball. Smith also surpassed the 100-win mark at Central.

Smith is currently an Assistant Superintendent with Boonville Public Schools. He is married to Gayla (Renfrow’87), who is currently Vice President/Business Development Officer at Citizens Community Bank.