Lonnie Smith - Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

In July 1987, Smith told the Kansas City Times that under his agreement with the Commissioner of baseball he was supposed to be tested six to eight times per-year but had not been tested so far during 1987. More so, he strongly disagreed with Commissioner Ueberroth that professional baseball was free from illicit drugs. Following the 1987 season, Smith had trouble finding a new team to play with, and he came to think that then-Royals general manager John Schuerholz had blackballed him from the other baseball teams.

By his own account, Smith was depressed and also addicted to cocaine when he considered murdering Schuerholz, and had even purchased a pistol for that purpose. However, Smith then had second thoughts about committing such a serious crime, and he dropped that idea entirely.

During March of 1988, then-Atlanta Braves general manager Bobby Cox (who would be succeeded by Schuerholz during Smith's time in Atlanta) offered Smith a contract to play there. During Spring Training, he made it to the team's 25-man roster, but he batted just .237 in limited playing time that season. However, in 1989, he cracked the starting line-up for the Braves' outfield, and he went on to accomplish one of his best baseball seasons, ever. During that season, Smith had a batting average of .315, and also had a career-high total of 21 home runs. Smith also led the National League with a .415 on-base percentage. Smith finished 11th in the voting of N.L. Most Valuable Player, and he was awarded the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Smith continued to be a regular outfielder for the Braves during the next two baseball seasons, batting .305 in 1990 and .275 in 1991. Smith's play in 1991 helped the Braves move from last place in the National League West in 1990 up to winning the National League pennant 1991, and playing in the World Series for the first time since 1958, back when the Braves had Milwaukee, Wisconsin as their home city.