Inside the Bunker: Angelo Smith's Inspiring Journey to U-M
2/22/2022 11:29:00 AM | Baseball, Features
Each week during the 2022 spring season, MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan baseball student-athlete, written by team manager Jake Sage. This week, he pens about Angelo Smith's inspiring journey from Calumet Park, Ill., to the University of Michigan.
By Jake Sage
While known as "Gelo" -- the funny, humble, and loveable veteran in the Wolverines' locker room -- Angelo Smith is a hero in his hometown of Calumet Park, Ill. He will be the first one in his family to graduate college and has inspired many kids in his hometown to try out baseball, attend college and explore the world beyond the streets of Calumet Park.
Angelo was fortunate enough to have an older brother, Anthony, his mother, Sharon, and his father, Anthony, instilling the importance of going to school.
While most of Angelo's friends were hanging out with the wrong crowd in Calumet Park, he was keeping himself busy by playing baseball.
"When I was playing baseball, my friends were roaming around in the streets," Angelo said. "Fortunately, baseball kept me busy enough to stay out of the streets. Baseball saved my life, and that's why I am [at Michigan] today."
Angelo first fell in love with the game while watching his father play shortstop in one of his men's league games, and knew he wanted to play college baseball after seeing his brother play at Illinois Central. Though his brother only played collegiately for one year, he inspired Angelo to go to college and play baseball at the DI level until he graduated. Angelo always looked up to his older brother Anthony (known by his teammates as "Smitty") and wanted to follow in his footsteps.
"I would see my brother do things, and I would think, 'Yeah, I could do that, too.'" Angelo said. "He was a big part of my baseball success."
When Angelo made the varsity team as a freshman, everyone already knew him as "Smitty's" little brother, so he immediately felt more comfortable stepping on the field, as he knew a lot of the older players.
More importantly, though, Anthony paved the way for Angelo to get involved with the Chicago White Sox Ace Program.
After Anthony played with the White Sox Ace Program, Angelo soon followed. The White Sox Ace Program allowed Angelo to play the game he loved for free, as his family did not have money to send him on many baseball trips that other top teams in the country were going to. Instead, the White Sox Ace Program helped pay for Angelo's equipment and sent him places where college coaches would see him. In fact, out of the 15 players on Angelo's White Sox Ace team, 14 of them went on to play college baseball.
Not only did Anthony help guide his younger brother in the right direction, but he also helped Angelo encourage his neighbor in the right direction. As a result, Angelo took the neighbor under his wing and brought him to the field to play baseball after almost losing his life. Though the neighbor did not end up playing baseball, he still ended up going to college at DePaul University thanks to the Smiths, who helped keep him heading in the right direction.
In addition, the White Sox Ace Program also allowed Angelo to fulfill a life-long dream and play baseball in Guaranteed Rate Field (the home of the Chicago White Sox). Angelo got invited to play in the Double Duty Classic in 2016, which features the best inner-city high school players in the country. It is also a tribute to the Negro Leagues, as both teams wear Negro League jerseys. In the games, Angelo played with future Wolverine teammates, Christian Bullock and Jordon Rogers. On the diamond of the team Angelo had grown up rooting for, he got to pitch two shutout innings against the best inner-city competition.
Not only will Angelo graduate with a degree from the University of Michigan, but he has been on the honor roll for the last two years. Though he struggled with work in high school, when he got to Michigan and got additional mentors and tutors, they helped him with time management. Now, Angelo says time management is one of his strengths and has led to his success both on and off the field.
Angelo is an inspiration to future generations trying to make it out of Calumet Park. Whenever he goes back, there is a vast reunion where everyone asks him how Michigan is. Angelo recognizes how his community helped shape him and how he wants to help future children follow in his footsteps.
"I definitely want to go back and let others know that you can make it out and don't have to go through the streets," he said. "I want to really let them know that you don't just have to play basketball or football -- baseball is an option, too."
