For Smith, who became the 26th shortstop to make the Hall, it was a long road from using a paper bag as a glove as a 12-year-old, to enshrinement in the Hall of Fame at age 47, one he said was filled with courage, heart and the ability to dream.

Smith, who gave his speech in front of an estimated crowd of 19,000 mostly St. Louis fans decked in Cardinal red, was the lone inductee and made full use of his nickname during his induction speech.

Smith held up a baseball, which he had cut in half, and a copy of the "Wizard of Oz," and used them to illustrate the characteristics which helped land him in Cooperstown.

"All great journeys begin with a dream," an emotional Smith said at the beginning of his speech. "But how do you describe reaching the summit, the Mt. Everest of your dream?"

Smith said the layers inside the baseball represented the layers of his dream to be a baseball player, and the core of the baseball represented the core of his dream as a youngster growing up in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.

"I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but there are two things which have guided me all my life," he said. "My faith in God, and my faith in myself, which was instilled by my mother at a young age."

At 5' 10", 150 pounds, Smith went undrafted by major league baseball out of high school. But he said he used the characteristics the tin man, the lion and the scarecrow longed for in the "Wizard of Oz,"-heart, courage and a brain- to keep his dream alive.

"It takes courage to see a dream through to its ultimate completion," Smith said. "I, like many other individuals, have chosen to attempt a seemingly impossible dream. I maintained the courage to keep the dream alive."

Smith broke in with the San Diego Padres in 1978, and entered the induction stage wearing an afro wig and a San Diego cap, much to the delight of the estimated 19,000 in attendance. But it was with St. Louis, to whom he was traded after the 1981 season, that he became a Hall of Fame caliber player.

Smith played 15 seasons with the Cardinals, slowly becoming an offensive force to be reckoned with along with his always incomparable defensive skills. Smith won 13 straight Gold Glove Awards and helped the Cardianls to the 1982 World Series title over the Milwaukee Brewers.

But he said going into the Hall of Fame was his shining moment, and while "Somewhere over the Rainbow" played in the background, urged everyone in the audience to pursue his or her dream regardless of the obstacles in front of them.

Kalas wins Frick Award

A few years after his longtime broadcast partnerand best friend Richie "Whitey" Ashburn entered the Hall of Fame, veteran broadcaster Harry Kalas joined the late Hall of Famer, winning the 2002 Ford C. Frick Award at Sunday's ceremony.

Kalas joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971, and is still calling their games today. He called the Phillies fans, many of whom were on hand to honor him Sunday, "the most passionate sports fans in America."

Kalas began his broadcasting career with Houston in 1965, but moved to the Phillies in 1971 and has been there ever since. His call of Mike Schmidt's 500th home run in 1987 was his most famous moment, but he said he had the best times with Ashburn, who was his broadcast partner from 1971 to 1988.

"Whitey had a great sense of humor, and was so much fun to work with," Kalas said. "You never knew what to expect with him."

Philadelphia fans have the reputation of being tough on players and coaches, but Kalas said he feeds off their energy.

"A game is only as exciting as a crowd's reaction to it, so when you have a full house and they're reacting to everything that's happening out on the field, that truly is exciting and a privilege to be able to call it."

...Longtime Detroit columnist Joe Falls was honored with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.

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