09/24/2026
⚾️On September 23, 1978 while riding as a passenger in a car, Lyman Bostock is killed by the estranged husband of Barbara Smith, who mistakenly shoots the 27-year-old Angels outfielder in the right temple while attempting to murder his wife. Bostock was pronounced dead two hours later at 1:30 a.m. on September 24th.
After the first trial results in a hung jury, Leonard Smith, the perpetrator, is found not guilty by reason of insanity and will serve only 7 months after the verdict, prompting the Indiana legislature to change the state's laws regarding insanity. After the shooter's release, Indiana legislators introduced the guilty but mentally ill verdict so that mentally ill people would serve prison time after being released from inpatient mental health treatment. The incident happened just hours after Bostock played against the Chicago White Sox earlier in the day, going 2 for 4. As he regularly did when in Chicago, Bostock visited his uncle Thomas Turner in nearby Gary, Indiana. After the shooter’s release, Indiana legislators introduced the guilty but mentally ill plea so that mentally ill people would serve prison time after being released from inpatient mental health treatment. In 2010, Leonard Smith died of natural causes at the age of 64. Barbara Smith survived the shooting after being hospitalized in fair condition with pellet wounds to her face. Bostock has the unfortunate distinction of being the only player who has ever been murdered during an MLB season.
In his four-season career, Bostock was a .311 career hitter, with a .365 on-base percentage, 23 home runs, 102 doubles, 30 triples, 45 stolen bases and 250 runs batted in during 526 games. A contact hitter, he had 171 career walks against 174 career strikeouts and a .988 fielding percentage playing all three outfield positions, with the majority in centerfield.⚾️
