He attended San Jose State College during the "Speed City" era, coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter and graduating in sociology.

[2] That evening of June 20, 1968, at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California has been dubbed by track and field historians as the "Night of Speed.

At the Mexico Olympics, Smith ran the third leg in the American 4 × 100 m relay team that won the gold medal and set a new world record of 38.24 seconds.

[5] After retiring from competitions Smith worked at the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department.

[1] Smith died in a hospice facility in Los Angeles, California, on March 31, 2013.