Eugene Smith

Eugene Smith may refer to:

See also

Eugene Smith (aviator)

Eugene Smith (1918 – November 21, 2012) was an American military aviator and attorney. He was a lieutenant with the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, escorting bombers in Europe, and then served as a military flight instructor. Returning to Ohio, he earned a law degree. He practiced law for over 50 years, including argument of a first amendment case before the Supreme Court of the United States and leading the efforts toward racial integration of juries.

Early life and education

Smith was born in 1918 in Franklin, Ohio. He attended Withrow High School in Cincinnati, where he ran track and played baseball, graduating in 1936. He then studied at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Military career

After college, Smith enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Because of his mixed European and Native American ancestry, his birth certificate was marked "C" (for "colored", as was common at the time), and he was assigned to serve with the African-American units known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He flew bomber escort missions during World War II in Europe with the 332nd Fighter Group and later served as a flight instructor.

Gene Smith (Negro leagues pitcher)

Eugene F. ″Genie″ Smith (April 23, 1917 – May 25, 2011) was an American pitcher who played for several Negro league baseball teams between 1938 and 1951. Listed at 6' 1", 185 lb., Smith was a switch hitter and threw right-handed. Smith was known as a hard-throwing pitcher during a solid career that saw him play for nine different Negro league clubs. In addition, he pitched for teams in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Minor League Baseball, taking a three-year break to serve in the US Army during World War II (1943–1945).

Early life

He was born in Ansley, Louisiana. His younger brother, Quincy Smith, also played in the Negro Leagues.

Negro league career

Smith entered the Negro Leagues in 1938 with the Atlanta Black Crackers, playing for them one year before joining the Ethiopian Clowns (1939), New Orleans-St. Louis Stars (1940–1941), Kansas City Monarchs (1941) and New York Black Yankees (1942). Following military discharge, he played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords (1946), Homestead Grays (1946–1947), Cleveland Buckeyes (1946–1950) and Chicago American Giants (1951).