Editing Ozzie Smith (section)

====Trade====
While Smith was having problems with the Padres' owners, the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] also found themselves unhappy with their shortstop, [[Garry Templeton]]. Templeton's relationship with [[Cardinal Nation]] had become increasingly strained and finally came to a head during a game at [[Busch Memorial Stadium|Busch Stadium]] on August 26, 1981, when (after being heckled for not running out a ground ball) he made obscene gestures at fans, and had to be physically pulled off the field by manager [[Whitey Herzog]].<ref>[[#O'Neill05|O'Neill 2005]]: 108</ref><ref>[[#Her87|Herzog and Horrigan 1987]]: 135–136</ref>

Given the task of overhauling the Cardinals by owner [[Gussie Busch]] (and specifically to unload Templeton), Herzog was looking to trade Templeton when he was approached by Padres General Manager [[Jack McKeon]] at the 1981 [[Winter meetings|baseball winter meetings]].<ref>[[#Her87|Herzog and Horrigan 1987]]: 119–120, 137</ref> While McKeon had previously told Herzog that Smith was untouchable in any trade, the Padres were now so angry at Smith's agent Gottlieb that McKeon was willing to deal.<ref name="herzog137">[[#Her87|Herzog and Horrigan 1987]]: 137</ref> McKeon and Herzog agreed in principle to a six-player trade, with Templeton for Smith as the centerpiece.<ref name="herzog137"/> It was then that Padres manager [[Dick Williams]] informed Herzog a [[no-trade clause]] had been included in Smith's 1981 contract.<ref>[[#Her99|Herzog and Pitts 1999]]: 92–93</ref> Upon learning of the trade, Smith's initial reaction was to invoke the clause and stay in [[San Diego]], but he was still interested to hear what the Cardinals had to say.<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 51</ref> While the deal for the players beside Templeton and Smith went through, Herzog flew to San Diego to meet with Smith and Gottlieb over the Christmas holiday.<ref>[[#Her87|Herzog and Horrigan 1987]]: 138</ref> Smith later recalled that, "Whitey told me that with me playing shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals, we could win the pennant. He made me feel wanted, which was a feeling I was quickly losing from the Padres. The mere fact that Whitey would come all the way out there to talk to us was more than enough to convince me that St. Louis was the place I wanted to be."<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 52</ref>