The California Angels were defeated by the Chicago White Sox on the afternoon of September 23, 1978. The loss was especially tough because it put the Angels six games behind the Kansas City Royals with only seven games remaining in the regular season. The Angels won the following day and the Royals lost, meaning the Halos’ slim playoff chances were still alive. One of the Angels own, however, was dead.

Early that morning, twenty-seven-year-old California Angels outfielder Lyman Bostock had been killed in a drive-by shooting.

Lyman Bostock spent his first three seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), with the Minnesota Twins. A good defensive center fielder, Bostock also blossomed with the bat in 1976, finishing fourth in the American League with a .323 batting average.

Bostock was even better the following season, batting .336, good for second in the American League, behind his friend, teammate, and future Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew.

Originally a Minnesota Twin

Bostock’s stellar performance came at the perfect time, as he became a free agent following the 1977 season. California Angels owner Gene Autry outbid the Twins, Yankees, and Padres for Bostock’s services, signing him to a five-year $2.3 million contract.

The Singing Cowboy was singing the praises of his new centerfielder, who he believed was a rising star.

Becoming an Angel

Angels fans, and Bostock himself, however, were soon questioning Autry’s opening his pocketbook after the big free agent signee was off to an awful start in Anaheim.  After batting only .150 for the month of April, Bostock was so displeased with his performance that he offered to return his salary for the month to the team. Autry declined, saying the season was young and the team had faith in the young player.

Bostock’s performance did improve, but still not to his satisfaction. He accepted his pay for May but declined to keep it, instead giving it to various charities.

By summer, however, Bostock was in full swing, hitting .404 in June. Solid performances in July, August, and September followed and the Angels’ new addition was finally believing he was earning his money.

Cashing In

In the September 23 afternoon game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park, Bostock had two hits and a walk, but the Angels lost the game 5-4. California’s postseason hopes were on life support and would soon die.

That evening, the Angels centerfielder was also on life support; early the following morning, Lyman Bostock lost his life.

Lyman’s Last Game

Bostock looked forward to games in Chicago because it gave him the opportunity to visit his uncle, Thomas Turner, who lived in Gary, Indiana, only thirty miles away.

After having dinner with relatives at Turner’s home on the evening of September 23, Bostock and his uncle visited a friend, Joan Hawkins, and her sister, Barbara Smith. Barbara was living with Joan after becoming estranged from her husband Leonard. She had obtained a temporary restraining order against him four days earlier.

After the group finished dinner and chatted for a while, Thomas drove Joan and Barbara to their cousin’s house. He drove his vehicle, with Joan in the front passenger’s seat; Lyman Bostock and Barbara Smith rode in the back seat.

As the foursome entered the car, Leonard Smith was lurking outside the home and followed them as they departed. At 10:40 p.m. as the group was stopped at an intersection waiting for the light to change, Smith pulled his car alongside them, leaned out the window and fired a shot into the back seat of Turner’s vehicle.

Leonard Smith

Smith was trying to shoot Barbara, but Bostock was seated between her and the position from where Smith had fired. The bullet hit the ball player in his right temple. He was rushed to the hospital but died two hours later.

The Bullet Hits and Kills the Ballplayer

Barbara Smith was hospitalized with pellet wounds to her face, but she recovered. She identified the shooter as her estranged husband Leonard and he was arrested at his home.

Leonard Smith told police his ire was intended for Barbara, who he believed had repeatedly been unfaithful to him. Smith said he flew into a rage when he saw his wife and Bostock get into the back seat of the car together, believing they were on a date. The two, however, had only met when Bostock arrived at Joan’s home.

Smith said he had never met Lyman Bostock and did not know that he was a professional baseball player.

Targeted His Wife

The entire California Angels team attended Lyman Bostock’s funeral, as did many of the players he played against. Among those who eulogized the ballplayer they lovingly called “Jibber-Jabber” were his Twins teammate Rod Carew, and Angels teammates Bobby Grich and Ken Brett, bother of future Hall-of-Famer George Brett.

All agreed the California Angel was now another kind of angel.

Laying Lyman Bostock to Rest

Leonard Smith was tried twice for Lyman Bostock’s murder, with his lawyers arguing that Barbara Smith’s alleged infidelity had driven him insane. The first trial resulted in a hung jury, but the tactic proved successful the second time around as he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Psychiatrists declared him no longer mentally ill seven months later and he was released.

The aftermath of Smith’s trial and verdict caused Indiana to change its insanity laws. The state legislature passed a bill mandating a person found to be insane at the time of the commission of a crime could still be found legally guilty, and thus could be sent to prison if he or she was released from psychiatric treatment.

Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

Following his release, Leonard Smith returned to Gary, Indiana, where he resided for the remainder of his life. In his later years, he moved into a high-rise apartment building for senior citizens only a few blocks from where he had shot Lyman Bostock.

Smith never again ran afoul of the law and declined all requests to comment Bostock’s killing. He died in 2010 at age sixty-four.

Smith Stays Silent until the End

The Topps Company payed tribute to the slain ballplayer with an “In Memoriam” baseball card in its 1979 edition.

I am a card collector and have this card, as well as several others of Lyman Bostock.

Topps Pays Tributes to the Slain Angel 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3702/lyman-wesley-bostock

SOURCES:

• Chicago Tribune
• ESPN
• Los Angeles Times
• The Sporting News