A World Series Strike-Out
Forges World-Class Character
By Joe Maxwell
Former Ole Miss star Seth Smith, 25, stepped into the batter's box last October 28 with the world watching him. All his dreams were coming true. He had excelled in baseball at Jackson's Hillcrest Christian High School and at Ole Miss. Now he was batting for the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series! "It was an unbelievable feeling," Seth told The Sporting Spirit recently. "I was on top of the world, living every kid's dream."
Seth was at the plate against the fabled Boston Red Sox. He had been called up late in the season from the Rockies’ AAA club, going 5-for-8 late in the regular season. Then he went 1-for-2 in the 2007 National League Division Series and 1-for-2 in the Championship Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, driving in two runs on a hard double. But now there were two outs. His team was down 3-0 in the World Series. Red Sox ace closer Jonathan Papelbon, a former Mississippi State player, was on the mound. Seth has gotten his share of pressure hits in the past, but not this time. Papelbon was deadly.
Seth struck out to end the World Series. He now was a famous statistic. Papelbon was stormed by his Red Sox teammates. It was a tough ending to his season. It might have been tempting to feel sorry for himself. Seth’s faith won’t allow it.“I tried my best and I failed,” he told The Sporting Spirit. But Seth doesn’t define himself by his great plays or his bad ones. “It’s how you deal with those successes and failures that make you a man of character.”
Seth became a Christian at a young age. He married his high-school sweetheart, Lindsay, who pitched for the Ole Miss softball team. “His love for Christ and his willingness to share it make Seth special,” Lindsay says. “We were both blessed to grow up in families that
love Christ.”
Seth has matured in his understanding of how his faith applies to his sport. He didn’t always run through 1st base on ground balls. He was accused at Ole Miss of not playing his hardest. He was earning that label with the Rockies’ minor league club.
But then the Rockies’ mental skills coach asked him—“Seth, what does the Bible say about giving it your best?” Seth decided to find out. He discovered a Bible verse that he now signs with all his autographs: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16).
“I didn’t have a bad attitude about hustling,” Seth explains, “but I also did not realize that every time I did not give my best effort, I wasn’t giving God the glory he deserves.”
Seth’s new revelation kick-started him into a great fall finish last season.
He spent this winter working out, hitting and throwing in Ridgeland with other major league buddies. He started off this 2008 season with the Rockies AAA franchise.
“He has tremendous ability and he’s going to be great,” says fellow MLB minor-leaguer and Mississippian, Jonathon Van Every.
Seth also speaks to a lot of youth groups. He tells about his World Series moment.
He tells Mississippi kids that they should never let one unsuccessful play stop them.
Says Seth: “With God, no single play or event in life has to define anyone.” SS
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