ðə pˈɪtsbɜːɡ ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən sˈaɪnd smˈɪθ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi nˈaɪn ˌaʊɾəv fɹˈɛsnoʊ stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, wˌɛɹ hiː wʌzɐ tˈuːspˈoːɹt stˈɑːɹ ænd ʃˈaɪnd mˈoʊst æz ɐ slˈʌɡɪŋ aʊtfˈiːldɚ fɚðə bˈʊldɑːɡz ʌntˈɪl hɪz ɡɹˌædʒuːˈeɪʃən.
The Pittsburgh organization signed Smith in 1949 out of Fresno State University, where he was a two-sport star and shined most as a slugging outfielder for the Bulldogs until his graduation.