Upon graduating from Duke, he served as an officer in the United States Air Force for two years before briefly working as a sportswriter.

He began his career in professional baseball in 1958 with the Cincinnati Reds as a protégé of general manager Gabe Paul.

He moved from Cincinnati to Houston in November 1960 when Paul was named the general manager of the National League's newest franchise: the Colt .45s (renamed Astros in 1965).

While Paul stayed only a few months in Texas before resigning to work as the front-office boss of the Cleveland Indians, Smith remained with Houston as the team's farm system director.

"[2] When natural grass failed to thrive under the Astrodome's roof, Smith was responsible for finding an alternative playing surface.

Smith spent 2+1⁄2 seasons as a key part of the management team that built the Yankees back into a league power.

Houston was in last place in the National League West division when Smith assumed the reins after the 1975 season, but under his leadership, the team rebuilt itself into a contender.

In fact, some of the Astros limited partners threatened a lawsuit and brought about a re-organization with the result that two other directors ended up on equal footing with McMullen.

Both Wade and Smith were dismissed by the team's new owner, Houston businessman Jim Crane, when he assumed control of the Astros late in November 2011.