MLBMLB St Louis Cardinals1978–1996Hall of Fame · 2002

Ozzie Smith

The Wizard of Oz — for the Cardinals fan who watched 13 Gold Gloves and a backflip.

Shop Ozzie Smith giftsCard collector's view
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Career snapshot

Hitting: .262 AVG · 28 HR · 793 RBI · 2,460 hits

Accolades

★ 1982 World Series Champion (St. Louis Cardinals)

★ Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (2002)

★ 13× Gold Glove winner — most ever by an MLB shortstop

★ 15× All-Star

★ 1987 NL Silver Slugger

★ "Go crazy, folks!" walk-off home run, 1985 NLCS Game 5

★ 1996 World Series, 1985 and 1987 NL pennant winner with St. Louis

★ Cardinals retired number 1

The card collector's view

Smith's rookie card is the 1979 Topps #116 — a key Padres-era piece before his Cardinals legendary tenure, with high-grade examples in demand. The 1982 Topps Traded (his first Cardinals card), 1985 Topps, and Donruss/Fleer releases from his St. Louis peak offer chase points across his career. Modern Topps Heritage, Allen & Ginter, and Cardinals retrospective sets provide accessible signature and jersey memorabilia for the Wizard collection.

About Ozzie Smith at FreshDCards

Thirteen Gold Gloves at shortstop. Still the record. Ozzie Smith earned the nickname Wizard of Oz playing 19 seasons of acrobatic defense, mostly for the Cardinals from 1982 to 1996 after starting in San Diego. He turned shortstop into an art form and capped his St. Louis arrival with a pre-game backflip tradition. The 1985 NLCS Game 5 walk-off home run from the left side — a side he'd never homered from in 3,009 career at-bats — drew Jack Buck's call: "Go crazy, folks!"

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