Smith, Puhl named to Astros' Hall of Fame

HOUSTON -- Tal Smith, the longtime Astros executive who worked on and off for the club in various capacities over 35 years, and steady outfielder Terry Puhl, who broke into the big leagues shortly after his 21st birthday in 1977 and was a fixture in Houston’s lineup for 14 seasons, are the newest members of the Astros' Hall of Fame.

Smith and Puhl will be inducted prior to Houston’s Aug. 13 game against the A’s at Minute Maid Park. Each will be recognized on the field with a plaque and will be given an orange jacket that distinguishes them as Hall of Fame members. The Hall of Fame, which had its inaugural class in 2019, will consist of 24 members with their inductions.

Smith, 88, had a hand in nearly every key historical moment for the first half-century of the Houston franchise, from the birth of the Colt .45s in 1962, to the opening of the Astrodome three years later, to an incredible run of six playoff appearances in nine years (1997-2005). He was also a critical figure in the opening of Minute Maid Park in 2000; Tal’s Hill in center field was named in his honor.

“This is a wonderful honor, and our thanks and our appreciation [go] particularly to the Astros and to their Hall of Fame election committee,” Smith said. “I’ve got a lot of great memories over the years, obviously, from 1961 to 2011, but this honor serves as a capstone for my 35 years of service with the club. I’m particularly pleased to be a classmate of Terry Puhl.”

Puhl, 65, played 15 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 14 with Houston. He hit .280 with 62 homers, 217 steals and 435 RBIs in his career. He also batted .526 for the Astros in the 1980 NL Championship Series, a loss to the Phillies.

“It’s an incredible honor,” said Puhl, who is the head coach at the University of Houston-Victoria. “When I first heard about it, I actually got emotional, and I never get emotional.”

Here’s more on each new member of the Hall of Fame:

Smith
A native of Framingham, Mass., who graduated from Duke University, Smith landed a job with the Reds in 1957 after writing a letter to Cincinnati general manager Gabe Paul. When Paul was hired by Astros owner Roy Hofheinz to help get the city’s expansion franchise up and running in 1960, Smith came along as assistant general manager. He helped oversee the construction of the Astrodome and was later named vice president and director of player personnel in 1965.

“That just opened a lot of doors for me,” Smith said of his Astrodome duties. “That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one else has had that opportunity, being involved in the construction and planning and operation of the world’s first air-conditioned domed stadium. It was truly the Eighth Wonder of the World, and I got a chance to be actively involved.”

Smith followed Paul again, this time to the Yankees, in 1973 as executive vice president, but he returned to Houston as general manager in 1975. After he signed Joe Morgan and Nolan Ryan prior to the 1980 season, the Astros earned their first playoff berth. But Smith had a falling out with Houston owner John McMullen and was dismissed following that season. A few days later, he was named MLB's Executive of the Year.

Smith, whose Tal Smith Enterprises provided consultation to nearly all Major League clubs on matters such as salary arbitration, was hired by Astros owner Drayton McLane when the latter was considering buying the team in 1993. Smith joined the club as president in 1994 and stayed through the 2011 season.

Puhl
A native of Melville, Saskatchewan, Puhl was signed by the Astros in September 1973 by a scout named Wayne Morgan, who saw him win the most valuable player award at a national tournament and became enamored with his left-handed swing. Puhl was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Puhl played in 1,531 career games -- all but 15 with Houston -- from 1977-90 and was an All-Star in '78. In the 1980 NLCS against the Phillies, Puhl hit .526 (10-for-19), setting a series record for batting average. He hit .300 or better three times and his .993 fielding percentage is the best among outfielders in Astros history.

Puhl's career with the Astros spanned a couple of eras, from the team’s first two division championship clubs in 1980 and '86 to his final year in Houston in 1990, when he was teammates with up-and-coming stars Craig Biggio and Ken Caminiti.

“What a journey it’s been for the Puhl family, coming from Canada and having Houston become our home and our life,” Puhl said. “This is my baby -- the Astros Hall of Fame. I’m absolutely thrilled and want to thank all my teammates for making the environment fun and educating me in the game of baseball.”