Short Fiction · Character

Smitty

A ballplayer whose easy grin and easygoing ways make him the clubhouse's favorite audience, though his calm hides how much he notices.

supporting

Also known as V, V Smitty

First appearance: horseshoes

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Smitty is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A talented but lazy pitcher acquired from Fort Wayne, who refuses to pitch to his full potential, frustrating the team.

In the storySick ’EmOpen this moment free

See Smitty in Sick ’Em Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Smitty belongs to the loose brotherhood of the diamond, one of the teammates who fill the hotel lobbies and dugouts with banter. His laid-back manner is both armor and instrument: he watches the louder men chase the same girl, the same hit, the same break, and says less than he knows. That quiet angle of vision is what makes him useful to Lardner's stories, where the joke is usually on whoever is talking loudest.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Smitty sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Smitty in horseshoes

Character Web

78 connections

A slice of how Smitty sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Baseball and Social Circles
Friends and Older Mentors
Protagonist

+73 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological peak of the crowd’s self-deception, where their…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Art Graham
friendship · positive
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together… How this plays out →
Red Smith
friendship · positive
Red Fulton
friendship · positive
Hurry Kane
rivalry · negative
Red Smith
friendship · positive
Art Graham
friendship · positive
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together… How this plays out →
Art Graham
friendship · positive
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together… How this plays out →
Red Smith
friendship · positive
Red Fulton
friendship · positive
Hurry Kane
rivalry · negative
Hurry Kane
rivalry · negative
Red Fulton
friendship · positive

Art Graham
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together as allies.
Red Smith
Red Smith and Smitty are friends or allies, possibly sharing a common goal.
Red Fulton
Red Fulton and Smitty are friends or companions, likely sharing experiences.
Hurry Kane
Hurry Kane and Smitty are competitors or enemies, with frequent confrontations.
Red Smith
Red Smith and Smitty are friends or allies, possibly sharing a common goal.
Art Graham
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together as allies.
Art Graham
Art Graham and Smitty are close companions, likely sharing adventures or working together as allies.
Red Smith
Red Smith and Smitty are friends or allies, possibly sharing a common goal.
Red Fulton
Red Fulton and Smitty are friends or companions, likely sharing experiences.
Hurry Kane
Hurry Kane and Smitty are competitors or enemies, with frequent confrontations.
Hurry Kane
Hurry Kane and Smitty are competitors or enemies, with frequent confrontations.
Red Fulton
Red Fulton and Smitty are friends or companions, likely sharing experiences.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Smitty in horseshoes

In the story

Smitty appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Sick ’Em
A talented but lazy pitcher acquired from Fort Wayne, who refuses to pitch to his full potential, frustrating the team.
II
Hosts the card game in his room and is the one who receives the phone call meant for him.
III
Teammate involved in a sign mix-up with Ike.
V
Smitty plays piano and joins in the conversation, commenting on Ike's engagement.
Chapter III
Participates in the teasing of Skull, inventing stories about Evanston and the fried chicken vendor.
III
Comments on Carey's hit, calling it the hardest wallop ever made on the grounds.
V
Shares news about his younger brother's golf achievements and challenges Hawley's claims.
VI
Defends Carey after his bad throw, telling Hawley to shut up and that bad throws don't always have a reason.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Smitty unlock in the free preview.

See Smitty in horseshoes

See Smitty in Sick ’Em