Ed Smith Drafted for Major League Baseball and Became a National

Football League Athlete

Written by: Alexandra Medina

ARIZONA- Ed Smith, a former professional Major League Baseball and National Football
League athlete, has been an inspiration to high school athletes across the nation. Smith grew
up in Pemberton Township, New Jersey, and ever since he was a little kid he grew up with an
aspiration of becoming a professional athlete. Smith's parents urged him to play football, but
because he wanted to be a professional baseball player, he decided to play both.

Smith had to turn down several football scholarships in order to meet his lifelong goal of
becoming a professional baseball player. After turning down multiple football scholarships Smith
was drafted by the Chicago White Sox directly out of high school, during the year of 1987. Smith
then went on to play for the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians.

Ed Smith during the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers game during the year of 1998 (Ed Smith/X)

When Smith’s baseball career came to an end he began a career in football as a tight end.
Smith played for the Frankfurt Galaxy, and was later signed to the Washington Redskins,
Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions.

Smith believes that as an athlete it is important to focus on multiple sports, because of the
athletic attributes that come along with it.

“If you experience other sports you develop other athletic attributes. If all you do is baseball, all
you will be good at is being a divisional player, you will not be an athlete,” Smith said.
Being a professional athlete does not come easy, but Smith took every second of every day in
the training room seriously, in order to put himself in the position that he had always dreamt of
being in as a kid.

“I saw how important it was all the way from the first guy on the roster to the last. My job was
just as important as the number one guy, and a lot of times we lose sight of that. Our job is as
important as the superstar. Nobody's job is unimportant, it is as important as you make it,” Smith
said.

While many high school athletes around the country may not always have someone to practice
with, it will not matter if you want it as much as Smith did.

“I was just a kid who loved to get out there and play, and when I didn't have kids to play with I
would do it by myself. I could do everything I needed to do to keep myself occupied.
I just knew from early on that there was going to be something in sports,” Smith said.

As Smith continues his career in sports as a sports broadcaster, and host of his own radio
show, he enjoys to see other high school athletes chase after their dreams the same way that
he did.