Danny Smith
Danny Smith
Full Name:  John Daniel Smith
     Born:  May 15, 1952, Alice Town, Bahamas
     Died:  February 14, 1983, Bahama Islands

Olympics:  
   1972 - at Munich, Germany representing Bahamas in Track & Field

   1976 - at Montreal, Canada representing Bahamas in Track & Field

Legacy Bricks:  Legacy Walk Map Link
   1981 Track & Field HOF - Loc 2
   1973, 74, 75 Track & Field AA - Loc 24


Click On Photo To Enlarge


FSU Career
Track & Field
Year  Pos     Hgt  Wgt  Cl  Ltr  Hometown
72-73 H-S-R   6-2  170  Jr   *   Miami                           
73-74 H-S-R   6-2  170  Sr   *   Miami                           
74-75 H-S-R   6-2  170  Sr-R *   Miami                           


All-American Awards
Track & Field
Year  Award
1973  NCAA Championships - 60-Yard High Hurdles (2nd) - Indoor
1974  NCAA Championships - 60-Yard High Hurdles (1st) - Indoor
      NCAA Championships - 120-Yard High Hurdles (3rd) - Outdoor
1975  NCAA Championships - 60-Yard High Hurdles (1st) - Indoor


Member of the FSU Hall of Fame
Elected into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1981
World record holder, NCAA record holder and NCAA champion, Danny Smith, the brilliant hurdler from the Bahamas rewrote the Florida State record book. Wearing garnet and gold from 1973 to 1975, Smith became one of the world's greatest indoor hurdlers. In '75 he became the first person to win the NCAA indoor 60-Yard Hurdles two years in a row. In 1973 he tied or set the world record in the 50-Yard Hurdles at 5.8 seconds. In '74 and '75 he either tied or set NCAA marks in both the 60 and 70-Yard Hurdles. When Danny left FSU his name was in the university's record book seven times. Smith was a three year All-American. After graduation he stayed in Tallahassee to help coach Seminole hurdlers and sprinters. There was no more beautiful sight in athletics than Danny Smith sailing over the hurdles, out in the garnet and gold.

From the Tallahassee Democrat, February 15, 1983, page 8.

Ex-FSU star Smith missing.

Danny Smith, one of Florida State's top track performers of all time, is missing after an airplane he was in developed trouble near the Bahama Islands Friday.

FSU track coach Dick Roberts said a report was given to him by Danny's mother, Mirian Smith, from Miami.

"His mother told me that he was traveling in a light plane when they developed trouble over the island of Bimini," said Roberts. "The plane radioed that it was going down.

"They have spotted the wreckage of a place in a swampy area, she said, but there has been no word at all on survivors.

"Someone is supposed to go to that area where the wreck is today and try to find out. It does not look good."

A late check by the Miami Herald with the Federal Aviation Administration disclosed that the plane was listed as "overdue and missing" but the FAA had no report of a crash.

An FAA spokesman said Smith had taken over with one other person on Friday morning at 8 in a Piper 32 for a scheduled half-hour flight to More's Island. The spokesman said a Bahamas Search and Rescue Team was looking for the plane.

Born in the Bahamas, Smith came to Florida State in 1972 after winning the national junior-college championship in the 110-meter high hurdles for Miami-Dade Junior College. He had also competed in the Olympics for the Bahamas.

He ran the hurdles, the relay and the 100 meters at Florida State, earning All-America acclaim each year as a Seminole. Smith was the first to win the NCAA high hurdles two consecutive years. He was also co-holder of a world record in the 50 high hurdles, as well as co-holder of national collegiate records in the 60 and 70 high hurdles.

Smith was inducted last spring into Florida State's Athletic Hall of Fame.


From the Tallahassee Democrat, February 16, 1983, page 8, other edition.

Plane found; Smith may be safe on Bimini.

The plane in which former Florida State track star Danny Smith was a passenger was discovered Tuesday evening, but neither Smith nor any of the other passengers was found with the wreckage and they were believed to be safe.

The plane was found just before nightfall, upside-down very near the coast of Bimini, part of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, in 12 feet of water, according to reports received by the Miami Herald.

"There was a sighting of the plane thought to be the one (Smith) was aboard," said Lt. Neal Armstrong of the U.S. Coast Guard. "Bimini police told us that the passengers were off the plane and believed to be somewhere on Bimini."

As of late Tuesday, Smith had not contacted any members of his family, who live in Bimini and are expected to begin a search for him today.

According to FSU track coach Dick Roberts, who spoke with Smith's family, pieces of the place had washed up on the shore of Bimini.

"They told me that because of the open cockpit, because of the missing life raft and because there seemed to be little in the way of damage, such as blood, inside the plane, that they were very encouraged," said Roberts.

Smith, a member of the Bahamian Olympic team in 1972 and 1976, was a four-time All-American at FSU and was the national champion in the 110-meter high hurdles in 1975 and 1975.

Roberts said he was told that Smith, who had been living in Fort Lauderdale and who has held several jobs since graduating from FSU in 1976, recently had become involved in Bahamian politics and was on a "political mission," at the time of the plane's disappearance.

Editors Note: Smith's body was never found.



FSU Statistics
Track & Field
   Date    Opponent/Meet                  Event                         Place      Results       Points   Comment
---------- ------------------------------ ----------------------------- ----- ------------------ ------ ---------------
            1973 Season
01/10/1973 Senior Bowl Championship       50-Yard Dash (I)                1       5.4              5                         
01/10/1973 Senior Bowl Championship       50-Yard Dash (I)                1       6.3              5                         
01/20/1973 US Federation So Indoor        60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.1              5                         
01/25/1973 Ohio State                     60-Yard Dash (I)                1       6.2              5                         
01/25/1973 Ohio State                     70-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       8.4              5                         
02/04/1973 Maple Leaf Games               50-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       5.8              5     Tied World Record   
02/09/1973 USTFF Championship             60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.1              5                         
02/24/1973 Ohio State Invitational        70-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       8.1              5                         
03/10/1973 NCAA Indoor Championship       60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        2       7.0              4                         
03/17/1973 Five-Way Meet                  440-Yard Relay                  3                        0.75                      
03/17/1973 Five-Way Meet                  100-Yard Dash                   3       9.85             3                         
03/17/1973 Five-Way Meet                  120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.0              5                         
03/24/1973 Kiwanis Invitational           120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.2              5                         
03/30/1973 Florida Relays                 Sprint Medley Relay             2    3:19.4              0.75                      
03/30/1973 Florida Relays                 120-Yard High Hurdles           2      13.6              3                         
04/14/1973 South Carolina                 440-Yard Relay                  2      42.1              0.75                      
04/14/1973 South Carolina                 100-Yard Dash                   1       9.7              5                         
04/14/1973 South Carolina                 120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.0              5                         
04/14/1973 South Carolina                 220-Yard Dash                   2      22.2              3                         
04/28/1973 Drake Relays                   120-Yard High Hurdles           3      14.0              3                         
05/05/1973 Florida                        100-Yard Dash                   1       9.6              5                         
05/05/1973 Florida                        120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.1              5                         
05/05/1973 Florida                        220-Yard Dash                   2                        3                         
05/19/1973 SE Independent Championship    100-Yard Dash                   2                        4                         
05/19/1973 SE Independent Championship    120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.2              5                         
06/09/1973 NCAA Outdoor Championship      120-Yard High Hurdles                  13.5                    Prelim-fell in semis
06/09/1973 NCAA Outdoor Championship      110 Meter Hurdles                      13.64c                                      
            1974 Season
01/16/1974 Senior Bowl Championship       50-Yard Dash (I)                2                        4                         
01/16/1974 Senior Bowl Championship       50-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       6.1              5                         
01/19/1974 SE USTFF Championship          60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       6.9              5                         
02/02/1974 Indiana Relays                 70-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       8.1              5                         
02/08/1974 Montgomery Relays              60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.1              5                         
02/15/1974 Maple Leaf Games               50-Yard High Hurdles (I)        2       6.0              3                         
03/09/1974 NCAA Indoor Championship       60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.0              6                         
03/09/1974 NCAA Indoor Championship       60 Meter Hurdles (I)                    7.74c                                      
03/23/1974 FSU Invitational               100-Yard Dash                   1       9.7              5                         
03/23/1974 FSU Invitational               120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.5              5                         
03/23/1974 FSU Invitational               440-Yard Relay                  1      41.1              1.25                      
03/30/1974 Florida Relays                 440-Yard Relay                  1      40.6              1.25                      
03/30/1974 Florida Relays                 Sprint Medley Relay             1    3:22.2              1.25                      
03/30/1974 Florida Relays                 120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.8              5                         
04/13/1974 Mississippi State              100-Yard Dash                   2       9.5              3                         
04/13/1974 Mississippi State              120-Yard High Hurdles           1      14.2              5                         
04/13/1974 Mississippi State              220-Yard Dash                   3      21.9              1                         
04/20/1974 South Carolina                 100-Yard Dash                   1       9.6              5                         
04/20/1974 South Carolina                 120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.8              5                         
04/20/1974 South Carolina                 440-Yard Relay                  1      40.7              1.25                      
04/27/1974 Drake Relays                   120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.4              5                         
05/04/1974 Florida                        100-Yard Dash                   3       9.8              1                         
05/04/1974 Florida                        120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.9              5                         
05/11/1974 Louisiana State                100-Yard Dash                   2       9.6              3                         
05/11/1974 Louisiana State                120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.4              5                         
05/11/1974 Louisiana State                440-Yard Relay                  1      40.9              1.25                      
05/18/1974 SE Independent Championship    120-Yard High Hurdles           1      13.8              5                         
06/08/1974 NCAA Outdoor Championship      120-Yard High Hurdles           3      13.62w            6                         
            1975 Season
01/19/1975 USTFF Championship             60-Yard High Hurdles            2       7.0              4     prelims             
02/01/1975 Penn State                     60-Yard Dash (I)                4                        2                         
02/01/1975 Penn State                     60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       8.1              5                         
02/08/1975 Mason-Dixon Games              70-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       8.0              5                         
02/14/1975 Mapleleaf Games                50-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1      5.8               5                         
02/15/1975 Knights of Columbus            60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       6.9              5                         
02/22/1975 Louisiana State                60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.0              5                         
02/22/1975 Louisiana State                60-Yard Dash (I)                3                        1                         
03/08/1975 LSU All-Comers                 60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        2                        4                         
03/15/1975 NCAA Indoor Championship       60-Yard High Hurdles (I)        1       7.0              6