Mayo Smith was a professional baseball player and manager who had a successful career in the sport. He played as an outfielder for several minor league teams before making his major league debut with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1936. However, he only played in 19 games before being sent back down to the minors.

Smith continued to play in the minors for several years before transitioning to coaching and managing. He began his managerial career in 1947 with the Grand Rapids Colts, a minor league team. He then moved on to manage several other minor league teams before being hired as a coach for the Cincinnati Reds in 1952.

In 1955, Smith was hired as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. He led the team to a winning record in his first season, but they finished in last place the following year. Smith was fired after the 1958 season.

Smith then spent several years coaching for various teams before being hired as the manager of the Detroit Tigers in 1967. He led the team to a World Series championship in 1968, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Smith was known for his unconventional strategies, such as using outfielder Mickey Stanley as a shortstop during the World Series.

After the championship season, Smith managed the Tigers for one more year before retiring from baseball. He finished his managerial career with a record of 1,066 wins and 1,019 losses.

Overall, Mayo Smith had a successful career in baseball as both a player and manager. He is best known for leading the Detroit Tigers to a World Series championship in 1968.

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