PEGGY ANN SMITH Muskegon, MIPeggy is just one of five people who call Michigan their home to have won a world championship. Being the daughter of Roy and Dorothy Smith, Peggy began pitching in 1967, and was a pioneer in the junior girl's division at both the state and national level. Before 1967, ladies of any age pitched in the women's division. Peggy played in the inaugural state and world tournaments in the newly formed division. That year she won the junior girl's world Class B championship, and finished runner-up to her sister, Linda, in the state championships tournament. Peggy qualified for the championship group at the 1968 world tournament and finished fifth, while setting at least three world records in her game against runner-up Dolores Ducharme. Also, the Smith family won the Family Participation trophy and award for having the most members of one family qualify at the world tournament. She defeated her sister, Linda, to gain the 1968 junior girl's state championship. The following year Peggy again qualified for the junior girl's championship group at the world tournament and finished third. Her game with eventual champion Mary Lee, who pitched from 40-foot, established at least five new world records. She won her second junior girl's state championship in 1969.  Once again Peggy qualified for the 1970 junior girl's championship group at the world tournament held at South Gate, California. Peggy defeated Jennifer Reno, who would go on to win the 1971 and 1972 junior girl's world championship, in a playoff game by a score of 35 to 19. That year Peggy played in the women's division at the state tournament due to the fact there were no other girls pitching at the time as was the case in 1971.State Tournaments: 1967: Junior Girl's Class A Runner-up 1968: Junior Girl's State Champion 1969: Junior Girl's State Champion 1970: Women's Class A, fifth place 1971: Women's Class B, third place World Tournaments: 1967: Junior Girl's Class B Champion 1968: Junior Girl's Class A, fifth place 1969: Junior Girl's Class A, third place 1970: Junior Girl's World Champion World Records Peggy held through 1971: 1968: Total ringers by losing player, one game, 34, against world runner-up Dolores Ducharme 1968: Total ringers by both players, one game, 73, with world runner-up Dolores Ducharme 1968: Canceled ringers, one game, 46, with world runner-up Dolores Ducharme 1969: Ringer percent by losing player, one game, 47.1%, against world champion Mary Lee 1969: Ringer percent by both players, one game, 51.5%, with world champion Mary Lee 1969: Double ringers by both players, one game, 10, with world champion Mary Lee 1969: Four deads, one game, 3, with world champion Mary Lee 1969: Consecutive four deads, 2, with world champion Mary Lee Peggy's desire to play horseshoes and her dedication to the game opened doors for young ladies 43-years ago. If not for Peggy, and seven others at the 1967 World Tournament, who knows when a junior girl's division would had been established nationally, and in Michigan. Though their contributions and their history is little known, together they have inspired and given the opportunity for other young ladies to pick up horseshoes and compete in tournaments for many generations afterwards. 
Peggy left the game of horseshoes as so many other junior pitchers have done. She went on to graduate from Western Michigan University and is now a music teacher in the Muskegon Public Schools system. In 2010, Peggy compiled a book about her father entitled, Roy Smith A Michigan Horseshoe Pitching Legend. In her works she has chronicled Michigan horseshoe pitching history from the late 1950's through the early 1980's giving future generations of horseshoe pitchers an invaluable source of understanding and knowledge to our glorious past.In recognition of her outstanding accomplishments the Hall of Fame Committee extends its sincere gratitude and thanks by inducting Peggy Ann Smith into the Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Association's Hall of Fame on this day, Sunday, September 5, 2010. |