Baby.

That is the title of a book by H. Allen Smith, an American author and humorist, who is also the author of a book titled…drumroll…People Named Smith.

I thought he might be an appropriate candidate for my first Smith Sunday blog post.  Smith Sunday is a new feature wherein I mention and, perhaps, comment upon some famous person with whom I share a surname.

It may not be a long-lived feature, because, really, what can I accomplish here that a link to Wikipedia cannot do as well?  But I’m going to give it a try and see what happens.

My first thought was Captain John Smith.  I bet he was yours, too.  Captain John Smith is pretty much the first famous person named Smith to leap to anyone’s mind.  It’s the clothes.  That Elizabethan getup is…memorable.  And the Native American princess.  Apocryphal though the story may be, Pocahontas makes for a helluva good story, and most of us learned it in grade school.

But I hate to be obvious.

We’ll come back to him, maybe.

H. Allen seems like a good second thought for a first Smith Sunday post precisely because he wrote People Named Smith.  I have a feeling I might be consulting it frequently in the coming weeks.

I would suggest you read it, except that I would then have no reason to pursue the Smith Sunday blog posts.  Mr. Smith is far more amusing than I…and certainly did more research.  His books, by the way, are laugh-out-loud funny, so if you did happen to sneak off and read one or more of them, I could hardly blame you.  However, if you can’t resist picking up a copy of People Named Smith, please don’t mention it.  And, you know…common politeness should dictate that you not give away any punch lines if you see them heading your way on future Smith Sundays.  Just bask in the knowledge that you are well-read and know your Smiths and don’t rain on my parade.

Okay?  Thanks!