Crook Smith

Byron Lambert "Consuello" "Crook" Smith (March 21, 1899 – March 3, 1990) was an American college football, baseball, and basketball player and coach inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. He played for Mercer, and, after a short career as a baseball player and umpire in professional baseball, he was the head coach for the Georgia Southern Eagles team of Georgia Southern University (then known as Georgia Teacher's College). He was later assistant pastor and director of young people's work at Immanuel Baptist Church in Savannah.

University of Georgia coach Herman Stegeman said Smith during his playing days was "without a doubt the best all-around athlete of the South."

Mercer University
Smith was from Fayetteville. He earned 13 letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track for the Mercer Bears. He was inducted into the Mercer Athletics Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1971. "Crook" was the older brother of Phoney Smith.

Football
Smith was a prominent end on the football team.

1922
He was selected All-Southern.

1923
He was selected All-Southern by Julian Leggett of the Macon News.

Basketball
In basketball he was a forward, and was selected All-Southern. He was captain of the basketball team. He played alongside George Harmon and Bob Gamble. Their team was the runner-up to North Carolina in the 1922 SoCon Tournament.

Georgia Southern
Smith coached the Georgia Southern Eagles team of Georgia Southern University (then known as Georgia Teacher's College) from 1929 to 1942. His basketball teams compiled a 116–60 record. His 1937 football team lost the first game played in the Orange Bowl. His 1939 football team won the Bacardi Bowl.