Donnie Smith was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on May 18, 1973. Smith played with Legion 141, who won the Manitoba Junior Baseball League (MJBL) championship in 1993-94. He was named the MJBL’s most outstanding pitcher during that season. Smith played with the Birtle Blue Jays in 1999, and then went on to pitch for the Winnipeg Goldeyes for eight years. He later played with the Stonewall Blue Jays from 2007-08, during which season they were Winnipeg Senior League champions. Upon his retirement from baseball, he held the record for appearances in the Northern League (206). Over the course of his career with the Goldeyes, Smith recorded 15 wins, 28 saves, a 3.22 earned run average, and 246 batters struck out in 246 innings. Smith is also one of only three Goldeyes to have had had their number retired.