Ellet, UA legend Bobby 'Sumthin'' Smith enters Akron Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame

Smith love about the place is that he’s “APS through and through”, he was in the school district right up to his graduation from Ellet in 1964. A new basketball intake at Ellet, Smith grew and developed into a star athlete and advanced to the University of Akron as a terrific guard. He assisted the Zips achieve a 79-28 record whilst starting for four years and at the end of his season, he scored 1, 437 points and was ranked fourth in UA record section.

I guess I was a ‘peach-fuzzed over-achiever,’ about 5-9, 150 pounds. That aint the big boy, said Smith.

Smith’s school scoring record was smashed in 2017 by the then Ellet senior, A.J. Gareri . Smith also attended the record setting game and presented jersey and an autographed ball to Gareri, an Ellet graduate who scored 1,286 points in his career.

Speaking during his acceptance speech, Smith had this to say: “I only have one regret as a player, I wish I had come to the organization earlier.” “There was no 3-point line. Like seriously if there was 3 point line when i used to play, whoever that guy that beat my record, sorry about that luck. He added: “He would’ve never had a chance.”

More details about him are that Smith uses a wheelchair due to his health problems. None of it was going to keep him from telling stories during the APS banquet at Guy’s Party Center in Akron.

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Linger has known Smith since the mid 1980s and loves to laugh. During the induction ceremony, Linger presented the attendees with several quotes of famous basketball coaches on the screen. He offers one quote that he says came from the mouth of Smith who coached for 25 years with Norton, south and east boys basketball.

“I visited East one time when he he’a still coaching.” It’s before the season starts,” Linger said. He said, ‘Alright, let me ask you one, Coach. You got any shooters this year?’[Smith said]. We always had shooters but we lack makers. That’s what we need — some makers. Everybody has shooters. We want makers.' And I just laughed my butt off.”

Smith was a maker. In fact, his shooting skills resulted in the emergence of the traditional “Sumthin’ ” nickname of his.

“Red Cochrane was the athletic director when I was playing at the Zips and one day he came into the gym with two people and I was lucky enough to make a jump shot from afar,” Smith said. “He said: ‘Ain’t he something?’ It kind of stuck. I said I was a freshman when they nailed me with that title.”

Smith’s coaching wardrobe was something, also. A powder-blue tuxedo on the South sideline became part of City Series history.

‘He was certainly gay at a time when he could hardly be’, Linger said. “The players loved him. He had some great teams.”

Smith as a coach, register four City Series championship, two with South and two with East.

“The old super [Conrad] Ott came in one day after I had won my first city championship,” Smith said. He asked, ‘What’s your defense?’ I said, ‘Well, this is what I told you when I took this job and this is what I have been asked to do’.

That is the reason why he was able to remember me all the time.] He said I was a little crazy. My adrenaline has never skyrocketed with anything quite like that; all coaches are a little crazy. Fess up. You know that. That’s only understandable considering that all coaches are kind of out there.”

Crazy? Sure. Caring? Absolutely.

Smith coached the girls basketball for only one year at East during the 2002-03 academic year. He has never before been a coach of a girls team. He did it for one season since the East girls hadn’t had a coach their season and he wasn’t okay with a cancellation there either.

“I didn’t really feel like doing it,” Smith said, “but I certainly didn’t want all those fine children to be left out of the picture.”

Having taught physical education for many years, Smith was very good in matters related to organization and coordination of fund raising activities at East. Linger has previously worked at Central-Hower where he emulated the blueprint from Smith.

“He supported not only sports — ROTC, the band, any activity going on at East,” Linger said.

Even now, Smith is a newcomer to a club that has existed all these years. And it’s known as The Akron Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame.