Frank Smith grew up in Stone Mills, slinging baseballs into a nail keg on his father's farm, a habit that led him to befriend some of history's greatest ball players.

By the time his baseball career was over, he had pitched seven years in the major leagues for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals and helped introduce fans to the concept of the closer. Along the way, he crossed paths with the likes of Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Willie Mays.

Smith was born in Pierrepont Manor, but learned baseball on the family farm in Stone Mills and played the game at LaFargeville High School for George Kissell, who went on to become a legendary coach in the Cardinals organization.

Spotted by a Cubs scout, Smith was signed in the mid-1940s. The Reds acquired him and Smith was called up to the major leagues in 1950, getting his first major league victory against the New York Giants.

Smith, a hard-throwing side-armer, pitched more than 50 games a season for four straight years. He won 12 games in 1952 and went 8-1 in 1953. He finished second in the league in saves twice and fourth in appearances three times. He played all but one season for the Reds, but shoulder problems forced him out of the major leagues by 1957. He finished 35-33 in 271 career games with 277 strikeouts and a 3.81 earned run average.

After his career, he operated the Frank Smith Baseball Clinic well into his 70s and remained a fan of the game, collecting baseball memorabilia.

Smith, who lived most of his adult life in Florida, died at age 77 from leukemia in 2005.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Watertown Daily Times' North Country's Greatest Athletes series appears each Monday on Page C2 of the Times sports section. The 100 athletes selected by the Times are not ranked in any particular order.