BELLE — Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith visited Belle at 9 a.m. on Oct. 13, sharing coffee and donuts with the community before serving as guest of honor — and scissor wielder — for the ribbon cutting that officially opened Mid-Missouri’s newest sports complex.

When Smith walked into the OutKast Sports Facility prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony, he smiled and said, “If I had a place like this when I was growing up, I might have made something of myself.”

The former Cardinal shortstop, known for his 13 consecutive Gold Gloves, 15 All-Star appearances and 1982 World Series Championship win, spent part of the early morning touring the multi-sport facility and meeting with young athletes, as well as several community members, from across the region. 

“Facilities like this are very, very important for communities, especially communities that are underprivileged,” Smith said. “This gives kids in the community somewhere to go, something to do. We live in a society today where kids spend so much time indoors and on their phones, on computers and all that stuff. As kids, it’s important for their growth to be involved in sports.”

OutKast Sports Facility is designed to serve both youth and adults with year-round access to indoor fields, batting cages, basketball and volleyball courts. Smith said that’s what makes it so special for a small community.

“When you have a place like this, you don’t have to worry about the weather,” he said. “Sometimes when you just have fields outside, weather plays a big part in that. But here, kids can still be active inside.”

Smith emphasized that the facility’s value goes beyond exercise, it gives youth a safe, structured space to grow and connect.

“It’s a way of keeping yourself out of trouble,” he said. “It’s like an after-school program. You always have something to work toward.”

Adults, he added, benefit just as much from having local recreation options available.

“When you have baseball machines, fields, pitching tunnels, basketball and volleyball — you pretty much have everything under one roof,” Smith said. “I was watching television this morning and flag football leagues are popping up everywhere now, and that’s another great way to stay active without the contact.”

As children flooded the gym wearing Cardinal gear, Smith reflected on how his career now inspires the next generation — something that didn’t occur to him in his early days as a player.

“When you’re playing, you’re just trying to be in the moment,” he said. “You hope you’re doing things that allow people to become better players, better people. I just tried to do the best I could and do it respectfully, and hopefully people gained something from that.”

One young fan asked Smith if he was going to do one of his icnoic backflips.

Smith laughed and said, “Not on purpose.”

During the event, members of the gathered crowd were invited to take photos with Smith, and many took advantage of the chance to meet the baseball legend in person. While he was unable to sign autographs due to contractual obligations, Smith was all smiles as he posed for pictures, shook hands and spoke with fans who came out to welcome him to Belle.

Smith’s appearance was made possible through the efforts of local businessman and community supporter Kevin Guffey along with his wife BrendaLeigh Guffey, who arranged the tour for the beloved player.