Dick Smuts (Napoleon's World)

Richard Bernard "Dick" Smuts III (9 January 1934 - 12 June 2011) is a former American baseball player and sports commentator. Known as "the Closer" or "the Great Lefty," he is widely regarded as one of the best pitchers to ever play the game, in particular during the last seven years of his career, which he spent in Boston as their elite closer. In a twenty year career, Smuts gained a reputation for throwing unhittable curveballs and be unflappable in close, late-game situations, in particular during the American Leage playoffs in 1973. He was part of the Boston Paddies dynasty in the early 1970's that won four consecutive World Series. Prior to arriving in Boston in 1968, he played for the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Stars and Dallas Rangers.