Vitamin Smith

Verda T. "Vitamin" Smith Jr. (October 30, 1923 – February 14, 2000) was a National Football League (NFL) running back for the Los Angeles Rams from 1949 through 1953.

Vitamin Smith

Smith on a 1952 Bowman football card
No. 77, 47
Position:	Halfback
Personal information
Born:	(1923-10-30)October 30, 1923 Sweetwater, Texas, U.S.
Died:	February 14, 2000(2000-02-14) (aged 76) Lake Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:	179 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school:	Sweetwater (TX) Ventura (CA)
College:	Abilene Christian
NFL draft:	1949: undrafted
Career history
Los Angeles Rams (1949–1953)
Career highlights and awards
NFL champion (1951) NFL kickoff return yards leader (1950)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 669 Receiving yards: 1,025 Kick return yards: 1,453 Punt return yards: 814 Total touchdowns: 23 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Smith served in the United States Army and participated in the Battle of Normandy before enrolling at Abilene Christian University where he sprinted, threw javelin and played college football for the Wildcats.^[1] In the NFL, Smith was a return specialist. In 1950, he set a record by returning three kicks for touchdowns in a single season. That record would stand until 1967.^[2]

Verda T. Smith married Myra Pearce, daughter of Mr. and Mr.s Herman F. Pearce, in Ventura, California on August 15, 1946. He was a student at Abilene Christian College at the time.^[3]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the NFL championship
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving
		GP	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1949	RAM	12	4	40	117	2.9	26	2	5	63	12.6	24	1
1950	RAM	12	4	51	250	4.9	25	1	16	279	17.4	67	4
1951	RAM	12	9	52	143	2.8	31	1	16	278	17.4	67	1
1952	RAM	12	10	57	133	2.3	20	3	16	254	15.9	56	3
1953	RAM	11	3	8	26	3.3	21	0	6	151	25.2	54	3
		59	30	208	669	3.2	31	7	59	1,025	17.4	67	12

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving
		GP	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1949	RAM	1	1	6	11	1.8	-	0	2	11	5.5	-	0
1950	RAM	2	2	7	23	3.3	15	0	4	81	20.3	38	0
1951	RAM	1	0	9	15	1.7	8	0	1	18	18.0	18	0
1952	RAM	1	1	4	-8	-2.0	2	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
		5	4	26	41	1.6	15	0	7	110	15.7	38	0