Male Athlete of the Year – Jack Smith, Mt. Lebanon
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Jack Smith
Jack Smith
When Jack Smith played football, he was as ordinary as the namesakes that played the game before him at Mt. Lebanon High School.
His oldest uncle, Jimmy, parlayed his career into a free-agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Uncle Dan and Mark (Hart) were standouts on the 1980-81 WPIAL championship clubs before excelling at the University of Virginia as a pole vaulter and at West Virginia as a running back respectively. Uncle Bobby was a defensive standout before going on to Annapolis and becoming a Navy Seal. His father, Patrick, was also a standout linebacker that played at Villanova before going on to earn his medical degree and becoming a renowned orthopedic surgeon. Uncle Matt was an all-state safety that earned a scholarship to Stanford. He is now a attorney with a prominent law firm in Pittsburgh.
“Obviously, my background propelled me and contributed to my success in football. My family encouraged me to work hard and helped me learn what it takes to play at this level and beyond.”
On the field, Smith excelled at linebacker on a defense that allowed 11.5 points per game and on a team that ran the table, posting a 15-0 record complete with a WPIAL championship and a PIAA title. He compiled 43 tackles – 32 solo, 11 assisted – and recorded four sacks. He finished with 11 tackles losses. Smith also forced two fumbles and recovered one in the state championship win against St. Joe’s Prep, 35-17.
A quarterback at the start of his career, Smith found a niche on offense at tight end. He had five receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw for one score.
“It was tough not being quarterback. I loved playing the position and it took some sacrifice to give it up,” Smith admitted. “You have to put aside personal goals and trust the process and the coaches if you want to win. It ultimately worked out. We ended up having a great defense. I love playing defense especially because of the mentality you must have. The attacking, the hitting, the doing and the reaction. In no other sport can you get that adrenaline rush.”
When Smith played baseball, he thrilled being himself. Just Jack Smith.
On the mound, especially, he carved out his own identity. Though he has some bloodline ties to the sport – a great grandfather that played for the Chicago White Sox and a grandfather that competed at Penn – Smith made his mark in baseball ever since he picked up the sport in kindergarten.
“Back then I tried all the sports,” he said.
Smith swam just like his cousin, Leah, who won gold and bronze medals in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. He did gymnastics. Even ballet.
“I hated it but my parents made me do it, but I fell in love with baseball. The game. The pitching,” he said. “I loved competing, especially on the mound.
“When you are pitching you control the game and tempo. It’s such a mental game, which is cool to me,” continued the 18-year-old son of Georgia Smith. “It was unlike the other sport I played. I liked the aspect of competing one pitch at a time.”
Pitching proved Smith’s forte as he guided the Blue Devils to a section championship and their first WPIAL title in 16 seasons.
He posted a 5-1 record with two saves. In 39 innings, he struck out 71 batters and maintained a 1.15 ERA.
He sparkled in the Class 6A championship, scattering two hits while striking out 14 of the 21 batters he faced.
At the plate, he singled and scored a run as the Blue Devils defeated Upper St. Clair, 2-1, for the title.
For the season, he led the Blue Devils with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts. He owned a .375 batting average, second highest on the team. He also drove in 12 runs and scored 14 times.
“Since his freshman year when he filled in as a catcher because our starter got injured, Jack was asked to do a ton for us,” said Lebo coach Patt McCloskey. “He grew and overcame a lot of adversity to become the phenomenal player and tremendous leader. He’s also a fierce competitor. You can’t teach his competitiveness.”
A back injury his junior year, slowed Smith’s progress. The overuse injury kept him off the basketball courts his senior year but allowed him to train harder in preparation for his final scholastic campaign on the diamond. Those performances, coupled with his efforts with the Steel City Wildcats AAU baseball club, gained the attention of collegiate scouts.
“I did miss basketball,” said Smith, “but not playing allowed me to get ready for baseball. I’d never done that before but it really helped a lot. I’d played three sports all my life and never took an offseason but it allowed me to focus a lot more on my potential. I think I made the right decision.”
Unlike his cousin, Peters Township’s Josh Casilli, who plays football at Penn, and his older sister, Patrice, who runs track at Columbia, Smith decided to hang up the football cleats and pitch for Harvard while putting his 4.9-plus GPA and Cum Laude Society membership to use studying economics and neuroscience.
“Playing football has been great and winning a state championship and receiving all the great support from the teachers, principals, students and community was exciting – the highlight of my career. It’s been so much fun to play here (at Mt.Lebanon),” Smith said.
“When it came down to it though my future was in baseball. I want to take it to the next level. Getting drafted and playing professionally is a dream of mine and after exploring all avenues Harvard and baseball was the right path.”
Lebo football coach Bob Palko is not so certain. He said that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Smith on the gridiron again.
“Obviously we can’t wait to see him continue baseball career but don’t be shocked to see him play football eventually,” Palko predicted.
“When you watch what he did in the WPIAL baseball final, you know things went how he planned. He made that plan happen. It was cool to see. It’s also neat to see someone who has worked so hard reap the benefits. Jack has always been blest with a lot of talent and ability. It’s one thing to have that but quite another to be comfortable enough to be able to do something with it too.”
Smith also parlayed his ability into multiple accolades from all-section to all-state. He polished off his scholastic career with his most prestigious honor. Smith has been named the 2022 Observer-Reporter and The Almanac Male Athlete of the Year.
“I’m honored,” Smith said. “It’s quite a recognition because I know there were a lot of great athletes out there and a lot of great competition.”