The January 22, 1918, issue of The Province newspaper in Vancouver ran a story on Smaill where he was crowned the "Stitch Champion of Hockey", for his badly battered countenance and many stitches to his face. The article referenced an informal survey among Montreal hockey players that had taken place just a few years prior, where Smaill had been the overwhelming answer to the question "who is the worst battered man playing hockey?"
The January 22, 1918, issue of The Province newspaper in Vancouver highlighted Smaill's status as the "Stitch Champion of Hockey" due to his severely injured appearance and numerous stitches. This was reinforced by an informal survey among Montreal hockey players from a few years prior, which had identified Smaill as the most battered player.