Editing Ozzie Smith (section)

===St. Louis Cardinals (1982–1996)===
====1982–1984====
On December 10, 1981, the Padres traded Smith, [[Steve Mura]], and a player to be named later to the Cardinals for Templeton, [[Sixto Lezcano]] and a player to be named later. The teams completed the trade on February 19, 1982, with the Padres sending [[Al Olmsted]] to the Cardinals, and St. Louis sending [[Luis DeLeon]] to the Padres.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithoz01.shtml|title=Ozzie Smith Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=December 14, 2017|archive-date=November 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101205042/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithoz01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 57</ref> Herzog believed Smith could improve his offensive production by hitting more ground balls, and subsequently created a motivational tool designed to help Smith concentrate on that task.<ref>[[#Smi02|Smith and Rains 2002]]: 28–29</ref> Approaching Smith one day during spring training, Herzog said, "Every time you hit a fly ball, you owe me a buck. Every time you hit a ground ball, I owe you a buck. We'll keep that going all year."<ref name="page61">[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 61</ref> Smith agreed to the wager, and by the end of the season had won close to $300 from Herzog.<ref name="page61"/> As the [[1982 St. Louis Cardinals season|1982 season]] got underway, Herzog's newly assembled team won 12 games in a row during the month of April, and finished the season atop the National League East division.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/VSLN01982.htm |title=The 1982 St. Louis Cardinals Regular Season Game Log |access-date=July 18, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171740/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/VSLN01982.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[[#Lea08|Leach 2008]]: 37</ref> Herzog would later say of Smith's contributions: "If he saved two runs a game on defense, which he did many a night, it seemed to me that was just as valuable to the team as a player who drove in two runs a game on offense."<ref>[[#Smi02|Smith and Rains 2002]]: 6</ref>

Smith became a father during the 1982 season with the birth of his son O.J., today known as [[Nikko Smith|Nikko]], on April 28.<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 65</ref> Smith also developed a lasting friendship with teammate [[Willie McGee]] during the season, and Smith said he likes to think he "helped Willie get over some of the rough spots of adjusting to the major leagues".<ref name="page66">[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 66</ref> Smith later participated in the postseason for the first time when the [[1982 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] faced the [[1982 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] in the best-of-five [[1982 National League Championship Series]] (NLCS). In Game 1, Smith drove in the series' first run by hitting a [[sacrifice fly]] that scored McGee, ultimately going five for nine in St. Louis' three-game series sweep.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B10070SLN1982.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 7, Atlanta Braves 0 |access-date=October 15, 2007 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=January 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130113061821/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B10070SLN1982.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Just as Herzog had predicted in December, Smith found himself as the team's starting shortstop in the best-of-seven [[1982 World Series]] against the [[1982 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]]. During the series, Smith scored three runs, had five hits, and did not commit an error in the field.<ref>[[#Rai03|Rains 2003]]: 105</ref> When St. Louis was trailing 3–1 with one out in the sixth inning of [[1982 World Series#Game 7|Game 7]], Smith started a rally with a base hit to left field, eventually scoring the first of the team's three runs that inning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B10200SLN1982.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 6, Milwaukee Brewers 2 |access-date=October 28, 2007 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911004242/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B10200SLN1982.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals scored two more runs in the 8th inning for a 6–3 win and the championship.

In January 1983, Smith and the Cardinals agreed on a new contract that paid Smith $1 million per year.<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 81</ref>

During the 1983 season, Smith was voted the National League's starting shortstop in the [[1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] for the first time in 1983, and at season's end won a fourth consecutive Gold Glove Award.<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 87</ref>

In July 1984, Smith's wrist was broken by a pitch as he batted against the Padres.<ref name="page95">[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 95</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B07130SLN1984.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 7, San Diego Padres 4 |access-date=October 30, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171741/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B07130SLN1984.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He returned from the [[disabled list]] after a month, but his return to the lineup was not enough to propel the Cardinals to a postseason berth.<ref name="page95" />

====1985–1986====
{{Quote box
|width=30%
|align=right
|quote="Smith corks one into right, down the line! It may go ... Go crazy, folks, go crazy! It's a home run, and the Cardinals have won the game, by the score of 3 to 2, on a home run by the Wizard! Go crazy!"
|source=—[[Jack Buck]]<ref name="Garner 2000: 98">[[#Gar00|Garner 2000]]: 98</ref>
}}
{{Quote box
|width=30%
|align=right
|quote="And that's driven to deep right field, back goes [[Mike Marshall (outfielder)|Marshall]] ... gone!
|source=—[[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]'s [[Vin Scully]]<ref name="Garner 2000: 98"/>
}}

In 1985, Smith amassed a .276 batting average, 31 stolen bases, and 591 assists in the field.<ref name=retrosheet1/> The Cardinals as a team won 101 games during the season and earned another postseason berth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1985/TSLN01985.htm |title=The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals |access-date=November 8, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329000229/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1985/TSLN01985.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Facing the [[1985 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] in the now best-of-seven [[1985 National League Championship Series|NLCS]], a split of the first four games set the stage for [[1985 NLCS#Game 5|Game 5]] at Busch Stadium. With the score tied at two runs apiece in the bottom of the ninth inning, Dodgers manager [[Tommy Lasorda]] called upon closer [[Tom Niedenfuer]] to pitch. Smith batted left-handed against Niedenfuer with one out. Smith, who had never hit a home run in his previous 2,967 left-handed major league at-bats,<ref name="media"/> pulled an inside fastball down the right-field line for a walk-off home run, ending Game 5 in a 3–2 Cardinals victory.<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 130</ref> Smith said, "I was trying to get an extra-base hit and get into scoring position. Fortunately, I was able to get the ball up."<ref name="Hummel85"/> The home run not only prompted broadcaster [[Jack Buck]]'s "Go crazy folks" play-by-play call, but was also later voted the greatest moment in Busch Stadium history by Cardinals fans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050930&content_id=1231334&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423070801/http://cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050930&content_id=1231334&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2008 |title=Ozzie's homer tops in Busch history |last=Leach |first=Matthew |date=September 30, 2005 |access-date=January 2, 2008 |work=MLB.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20020619&content_id=56675&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null |title=Legendary voice passes away |last=Hoffman |first=Jared |date=June 19, 2002 |access-date=August 17, 2008 |work=MLB.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423202055/http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20020619&content_id=56675&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null |archive-date=April 23, 2008  }}</ref>

After Smith's teammate [[Jack Clark (baseball)|Jack Clark]] hit a late-inning home run of his own in Game 6 to defeat the Dodgers, the Cardinals moved on to face the [[1985 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]] in the [[1985 World Series]]. Once again sportswriters were quick to draw attention to Smith's outstanding defensive play instead of his 2 for 23 effort at the plate.<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 362</ref><ref name="#Sch90|Schoor 1990: 418">[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 418</ref> After the Cardinals took a three-games-to-two advantage, a controversial [[1985 World Series#Game 6|Game 6]] call by umpire [[Don Denkinger]] overshadowed the remainder of the Series (which the Royals won in seven games).<ref>[[#Nem02|Nemec and Wisnia 2002]]: 433</ref>

What was not publicly known during the regular season and playoffs was that Smith had torn his [[rotator cuff]] after suffering an impingement in his right shoulder during the July 11–14 homestand against the Padres.<ref name="Smith121">[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 121</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1985/VSLN01985.htm |title=The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals Regular Season Game Log |access-date=November 8, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171741/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1985/VSLN01985.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> After suffering the impingement diving back into first base on a [[pickoff]] throw, Smith altered his throwing motion to such a degree that the rotator cuff tear subsequently developed.<ref name="Smith121"/> The {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|adj=on}}, {{convert|180|lb|kg|adj=on}} Smith opted to forgo surgery and instead built up his arm strength via weightlifting, playing through whatever pain he encountered.<ref name="media"/> Said Smith, "I didn't tell anybody about the injury, because I wanted to keep playing and didn't want anybody thinking they could run on me or take advantage of the injury. I tried to do almost everything, except throw a baseball, left-handed: opening a door, turning on the radio—everything. It didn't get any better, but it was good enough that I didn't have to have surgery."<ref>[[#Smi02|Smith and Rains 2002]]: 43</ref>

Because of his injury, Smith let his then four-year-old son Nikko perform his traditional Opening Day backflip before the Cardinals' first home game of the 1986 season.<ref name="Rains111">[[#Rai02|Rains and Reid 2002]]: 111</ref> Smith made an "eye-popping" play later that season on August 4, during a game against the [[1986 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] at Busch Stadium.<ref name=media/> In the top of the ninth inning, Phillies pinch-hitter [[Von Hayes]] hit a short fly ball to left field, which was pursued by both Smith and left fielder [[Curt Ford]].<ref>[[#Hum07|Hummel 2007]]: 85–87</ref> Running with his back to home plate, Smith dove forward, simultaneously catching the ball while parallel to the ground and flying over the diving Ford, avoiding a collision by inches.<ref name="Eisenbath284"/><ref name="media">St. Louis Cardinals 2005 Media Guide. Hadler Printing, 2005. C-26.</ref>

====1987–1990====
{{Quote box
| width =30%
| align  =right
| quote  = "The thing about Ozzie is, if he misses a ball, you assume it's uncatchable. If any other shortstop misses a ball, your first thought is, 'Would Ozzie have had it?'"
| source =&nbsp;—Former [[New York Mets]] shortstop [[Bud Harrelson]] in 1987<ref name="SI87"/>
}}

After hitting in either the second or eighth spot in the batting order for most of his time in St. Louis, Herzog made Smith the number-two hitter full-time during the 1987 season.<ref>[[#Her87|Herzog and Pitts 1999]]: 95</ref> Over the course of the year, Smith accrued a .303 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], 43 stolen bases, 75 [[Runs batted in|RBI]]s, 104 [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored, and 40 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]], good enough to earn him the [[Silver Slugger Award]] [[List of NL Silver Slugger winners at shortstop|at shortstop]].<ref name=stats1/> In addition to winning the Gold Glove Award at shortstop for the eighth consecutive time, Smith posted a career-high [[on-base percentage]] of .392. Smith was also the leading vote-getter in the [[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1987 All-Star Game]].<ref>[[#Smi88|Smith and Rains 1988]]: 160</ref> The Cardinals earned a postseason berth with 95 wins, and subsequently faced the [[1987 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]] in the [[1987 National League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/TSLN01987.htm |title=The 1987 St. Louis Cardinals |access-date=November 12, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329000248/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/TSLN01987.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Smith contributed a triple during the series, and the Cardinals won the contest in seven games.<ref>[[#Nem02|Nemec and Wisnia 2002]]: 441</ref>

The [[1987 World Series]] matched the [[1987 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] against the American League champion [[1987 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]]. The home team won every game of the contest, as Minnesota won the series.<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 370–371</ref> In 28 at-bats during the Series, Smith scored three runs and had two RBIs.<ref name="#Sch90|Schoor 1990: 418"/> Smith finished second in [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] balloting to [[Andre Dawson]], who had played on the last-place [[1987 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]], largely because Smith and teammate [[Jack Clark (baseball)|Jack Clark]] split the first-place vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.shtml |title=Baseball Award Voting for 1987 |access-date=December 4, 2007 |work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |archive-date=January 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104070918/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the 1987 season, Smith was awarded the largest contract in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] at $2.34 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1988_t.shtml |title=1988 National League Leader Boards |work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=October 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071104034054/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1988_t.shtml |archive-date=November 4, 2007  }}</ref>

While the team did not see the postseason for the remainder of the decade, Smith continued to rack up All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves. Combined with the attention he received from his contract, Smith continued to be a national figure. Known as a savvy dresser, he made the April 1988 cover of ''[[GQ]]'' magazine.<ref>Boswell, Thomas. "The Wizardry of Ozzie Smith." GQ. April 1988.</ref> Smith was witness to change within the Cardinal organization when owner [[Gussie Busch]] died in 1989 and Herzog quit as manager during the 1990 season.<ref>{{cite news |first=Robert Jr. |last=Thomas |title=August A. Busch Jr. Dies at 90. Built Largest Brewing Company. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0328.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 30, 1989 |access-date=March 21, 2008 |archive-date=August 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827114512/http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0328.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[[#Hum07|Hummel 2007]]: 121–123</ref>

====1990–1995====
{{Quote box
|width=30%
|align=right
|quote="No one paid attention to my offense. So having 2,000 hits is one of the things that is an accomplishment."
|source=—Ozzie Smith, from the 1993 St. Louis Cardinals Yearbook<ref name="Yearbook"/>
}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Homer at the Bat players.png|thumb|left|200px|Smith ''(far right)'' in "[[Homer at the Bat]]"]] -->
[[Joe Torre]] became Smith's new manager in 1990, but the team did not reach the postseason during Torre's nearly five-year tenure.<ref>[[#Rai03|Rains 2003]]: 251–252</ref> While the Cardinals celebrated their 100th anniversary in 1992, Smith marked milestones of his own, stealing his 500th career base on April 26, then notching a triple on May 26 in front of the home crowd for his 2,000th hit.<ref>[[#Rai03|Rains 2003]]: 251</ref> [[1992 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis]] had a one-game lead in the National League East division on June 1, 1992, but injuries took their toll on the team, including Smith's two-week illness in late July after contracting [[chicken pox]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/history/timeline5.jsp |title=History:Cardinals Timeline |access-date=November 21, 2007 |date=March 22, 2005 |publisher=St. Louis Cardinals |archive-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612001828/http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/history/timeline5.jsp |url-status=dead }}</ref> As a testament to his national visibility during this time, Smith appeared in a 1992 episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' titled "[[Homer at the Bat]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/news/homer-at-the-bat |title=A Salute to 'Homer at the Bat' at Hall of Fame Classic Weekend |publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum |date=February 20, 2017 |access-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514014813/https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/news/homer-at-the-bat |url-status=live }}</ref> Smith became a free agent for the first time in his career on November 2, 1992, only to re-sign with the Cardinals on December 6.<ref name="retrosheet1">{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Psmito001.htm |title=Ozzie Smith |access-date=July 27, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=February 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213200155/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Psmito001.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Smith won his final Gold Glove in 1992, and his 13 consecutive Gold Gloves at [[List of NL Gold Glove winners at shortstop|shortstop]] in the National League has yet to be matched.<ref name="nlgold">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_nl_alt.shtml |title=National League Gold Glove Award Winners |access-date=July 10, 2008 |work=Baseball-Reference |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127143938/https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_nl_alt.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The 1993 season marked the only time between 1981 and 1996 where Smith failed to make the All-Star team, and Smith finished the 1993 season with a .288 batting average and .974 fielding percentage.<ref name=stats1/> He appeared in 98 games during the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike-shortened]] 1994 season, and later missed nearly three months of the 1995 season after shoulder surgery on May 31.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/01/sports/sports-people-baseball-smith-has-shoulder-surgery.html |title=Smith Has Shoulder Surgery |access-date=November 15, 2007 |date=June 1, 1995 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306013908/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/01/sports/sports-people-baseball-smith-has-shoulder-surgery.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/Ismito0010181995.htm |title=The 1995 STL N Regular Season Batting Log for Ozzie Smith |access-date=February 5, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171740/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/Ismito0010181995.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Smith was recognized for his community service efforts with the [[Branch Rickey Award|1994 Branch Rickey Award]] and the [[Roberto Clemente Award|1995 Roberto Clemente Award]]. In February 1994, Smith took on the role of honorary chairman and official spokesman for the Missouri Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fitness.mo.gov/History.html |title=History:Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health |access-date=March 4, 2008 |publisher=Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706141645/http://www.fitness.mo.gov/History.html |archive-date=July 6, 2008  }}</ref>

====1996====
As Smith entered the 1996 season, he finalized a divorce from his wife Denise during the first half of the year.<ref name="sportingnews">{{Cite journal|url = http://business.highbeam.com/62653/article-1G1-18504134/cardinal-singe|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150702200109/http://business.highbeam.com/62653/article-1G1-18504134/cardinal-singe|url-status = dead|archive-date = July 2, 2015|title = Cardinal singe — shortstop Ozzie Smith|last = Geffner|first = Michael|date = July 22, 1996|journal = The Sporting News|access-date = July 2, 2015|via = [[HighBeam Research]] }}</ref><ref name="Rains110">[[#Rai02|Rains and Reid 2002]]: 110</ref> Meanwhile, manager [[Tony La Russa]] began his first season with the Cardinals in tandem with a new ownership group. After General Manager [[Walt Jocketty]] acquired shortstop [[Royce Clayton]] during the offseason, La Russa emphasized an open competition for the spot that would give the Cardinals the best chance to win.<ref>[[#Rai09|Rains 2009]]: 183–184</ref> When spring training concluded, Smith had amassed a .288 batting average and zero errors in the field, and Clayton batted .190 with eight errors.<ref name="sportingnews"/> Smith believed he had earned the position with his spring training performance, but La Russa disagreed, and awarded Clayton the majority of playing time in the [[platoon system|platoon situation]] that developed, where Smith typically saw action every third game.<ref name="sportingnews"/><ref>[[#Rai09|Rains 2009]]: 187</ref> La Russa said, <blockquote>I think it's fair to say he misunderstood how he compared to Royce in spring training ... When I and the coaches evaluated the play in spring training—the whole game—Royce started very slowly offensively and you could see him start to get better. By what he was able to do defensively and on the bases, Royce deserved to play the majority of the games.<ref>[[#Rai09|Rains 2009]]: 185–186</ref></blockquote>

Smith missed the first month of the season with a [[hamstring]] injury, and continued to harbor ill feelings toward La Russa that had developed after spring training ended.<ref name="sportingnews"/><ref>[[#Rai09|Rains 2009]]: 186–187</ref> In a closed-door meeting in mid-May, La Russa asked Smith if he would like to be traded.<ref name="sportingnews"/> Instead, Smith and his agent negotiated a compromise with Cardinals management, agreeing to a buyout of special provisions in his contract in conjunction with Smith announcing his retirement.<ref name="sportingnews"/> The agreement prompted a press conference at Busch Stadium on June 19, 1996, during which Smith announced he would retire from baseball at season's end.<ref>[[#Rai03|Rains 2003]]: 252</ref>

{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = CardsRetired1.PNG
|Name   = Ozzie Smith
|Number = 1
|Team   = St. Louis Cardinals
|Year   = 1996
}}
As Smith made his final tour of the National League, he was honored by many teams, and received a standing ovation at the [[1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1996 All-Star Game]] in Philadelphia.<ref name="sportingnews"/> Between June 19 and September 1, Smith's batting average increased from .239 to .286.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/Ismito0010191996.htm |title=The 1996 STL N Regular Season Batting Log for Ozzie Smith |access-date=March 15, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171742/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/Ismito0010191996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> On September 2 Smith tied a career high by scoring four runs, one of which was a home run, and another on a close play at [[home plate]] in the bottom of the 10th inning against division leader [[1996 Houston Astros season|Houston]].<ref name="Hummel96">[[#Hum07|Hummel 2007]]: 129–135</ref> The victory moved the [[1996 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] to within a half game of Houston in the [[National League Central|National League Central Division]], and the Cardinals went on to win the division by six games.<ref name="Hummel96"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/Y_1996.htm |title=The 1996 Season |access-date=March 15, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707103316/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/Y_1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals held a special ceremony at Busch Stadium on September 28, 1996, before a game against the [[1996 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]], honoring Smith by retiring his uniform number. Noted for his ritual backflip before Opening Days, All-Star Games, and postseason games, Smith chose this occasion to perform it for one of the last times.<ref name="USAToday" />

In the postseason, the Cardinals first faced the [[1996 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]] in the [[1996 National League Division Series]]. After sitting out Game&nbsp;1, Smith got the start in Game&nbsp;2 at Busch Stadium, helping his team go up two games in the series by notching a run, a hit and two walks at the plate, along with an assist and a putout in the field.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10030SLN1996.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 5, San Diego Padres 4 |access-date=October 26, 2007 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142106/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10030SLN1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals then swept the series by winning Game&nbsp;3 in San Diego.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1996_NLDS2.shtml |title=1996 NL Division Series: St. Louis Cardinals over San Diego Padres (3–0) |work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 27, 2021 |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417163402/https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1996_NLDS2.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Cardinals faced the [[1996 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] in the [[1996 National League Championship Series]]. Smith started Game 1 and subsequently registered three putouts and one assist in the field, but went hitless in four at-bats in the Cardinals' 4–2 loss.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10090ATL1996.htm |title=Atlanta Braves 4, St. Louis Cardinals 2 |access-date=November 2, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142114/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10090ATL1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals then won Games 2, 3, and 4, contests in which Smith did not appear.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10100ATL1996.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 8, Atlanta Braves 3 |access-date=November 2, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142115/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10100ATL1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10120SLN1996.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 3, Atlanta Braves 2 |access-date=November 2, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142117/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10120SLN1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10130SLN1996.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 4, Atlanta Braves 3 |access-date=November 2, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142118/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10130SLN1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Upon receiving the start in Game 5, Smith nearly duplicated his Game 1 performance with four putouts, one assist, and no hits in four at-bats as part of another Cardinals defeat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10140SLN1996.htm |title=Atlanta Braves 14, St. Louis Cardinals 0 |access-date=November 2, 2008 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142120/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10140SLN1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals also failed to win Game 6 or Game 7 in Atlanta, ending their season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DC1031F93BA25753C1A960958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 |title=Not Even Close: Braves Bronx-Bound After Routing Cards |access-date=April 30, 2008 |last=Willis |first=George |date=October 18, 1996 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019171742/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/18/sports/not-even-close-braves-bronx-bound-after-routing-cards.html |url-status=live }}</ref> When the Cardinals were trailing by 10 runs during Game 7 on October 17, Smith flied out to right field while pinch-hitting in the sixth inning, marking the end of his playing career.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10170ATL1996.htm |title=Atlanta Braves 15, St. Louis Cardinals 0 |access-date=September 25, 2007 |publisher=Retrosheet.org |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142123/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1996/B10170ATL1996.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Smith finished his career with distinctions ranging from the accumulation of more than 27.5 million votes in All-Star balloting, to holding the record for the most MLB at-bats without hitting a [[grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]].<ref name=Eisenbath284/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=2551746 |title=The grand slam ... unusual, yet fun |access-date=November 25, 2007 |last=Kurkjian |first=Tim |date=August 17, 2006 |work=ESPN.com |archive-date=June 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629052835/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=2551746 |url-status=live }}</ref>