Lyall F Smith was an American sports writer and editor.
17 Facts About Lyall Smith
1.
2.
Lyall Smith was the sports editor and columnist for the Detroit Free Press from 1945 to 1965 and the president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America from 1955 to 1956.
3.
Lyall Smith later served as the public relations director and business manager for the Detroit Lions from 1965 to 1980.
4.
Lyall Smith was inducted into the Bradley University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1950.
5.
Lyall Smith spent seven years with the Chicago Daily News from 1938 to 1945.
6.
Lyall Smith claimed to have given the "Whiz Kids" nickname to the 1943 Illinois basketball team.
7.
In March 1945, Lyall Smith was hired as the sports editor and columnist at the Detroit Free Press, a position he held until 1965.
Related searches
Henry Ford 8.
In 1947, Lyall Smith became involved in a controversy over competing claims to the national collegiate football championship by undefeated teams from Notre Dame and Michigan.
9.
Lyall Smith urged the Associated Press to conduct a post-bowl poll, arguing that Michigan had defeated three common opponents by larger margins than Notre Dame and had a tougher schedule.
10.
Also in January 1947, Lyall Smith broke the story of the Detroit Tigers' decision to sell Hank Greenberg to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
11.
In October 1954, Lyall Smith was elected as the vice president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
12.
Lyall Smith served as a director of the Football Writers Association of America for several years.
13.
Lyall Smith was chosen as the chief scorer for the 1956 World Series, and was the scorer for Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series.
14.
In May 1965, Lyall Smith was chosen to serve a five-year term on the board of directors of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
15.
In September 1965, Lyall Smith left the Free Press to accept a position as the public relations director for the Detroit Lions.
16.
In January 1967, Lyall Smith took on the additional title and responsibility as the Lions' business manager.
17.
Lyall Smith died of heart failure in 1991 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.