Fair Lawn's Smithlin Honored by N.J. Jackals

Fair Lawn’s Zach Smithlin received an honor in baseball very few are offered: immortality.

On Saturday, Smithlin’s jersey number was retired by the New Jersey Jackals for whom he played for six seasons.

Smithlin’s tenure with the team lasted six seasons from 2004-09, the longest ever for any position player in the team’s history.

His 503 career hits with New Jersey are 204 more than any other Jackal. Smithlin also holds the team’s career records for games played (472), runs scored (287), and stolen bases (154).

Smithlin was a standout for Fair Lawn High School before going to Penn State. He played in the Cape Cod baseball league and was drafted by the St. Louis cardinals in 2003. He also played with the Class A New Jersey Cardinals in Sussex County and the Atlantic League’s Newark Bears and Somerset Patriots.

Smithlin (who wore #4) is in good company – he joins Yogi Berra (#8) and Joel Bennett (#28) among the three retired numbers at Yogi Berra Stadium. Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher for whom the Jackals' stadium is named, resides in Upper Montclair. Bennett went 59-19 with a 2.83 ERA in seven seasons (2001-07) with the Jackals.

Smithlin teaches at the Community School in Teaneck.