[2] He was part of the 1972 and 1973 College World Series championship teams under longtime head coach Rod Dedeaux.

Following his junior year, he stayed out of school in the fall of 1973 to be eligible for the January free agent draft.

[3] After signing in January, Smalley had wrist surgery in February, injured while playing semi-pro ball in December.

Smalley had a sensational first half of the season, entering the break with the second-highest batting average in the major leagues (.341).

He also led the league in games played, plate appearances, all fielders in assists, and all shortstops in putouts,[5] while hitting .271 and leading the team with 24 home runs and 95 RBI.

After showing that he'd recovered from his injuries, Smalley was traded in 1982 on April 10 to the Yankees for pitchers Ron Davis and Paul Boris and shortstop Greg Gagne.

He was bad news for a pitching staff," opined John, who had benefitted from the fine defense of Bucky Dent for the past several years.

[7] After a bad start to the 1984 season, in which he hit only .239 with 7 home runs and 26 RBI over the first 67 games of the season, Smalley was traded again, this time to the White Sox for middle reliever Kevin Hickey and future Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young and 155-game winner Doug Drabek.