Curt Simmons obit

Curt Simmons, member of 1950 'Whiz Kids,' dies at 93

 

He was not on the list.

Phillies Wall of Famer Curt Simmons died at his Ambler, Pa., home on Tuesday at 93 years of age. He was the last surviving member of the 1950 “Whiz Kids” team.

One of the greatest pitchers in franchise history, the lefty posted a record of 115-110 with 109 complete games, 18 shutouts and a 3.66 ERA in 325 games (263 starts) in 13 seasons with the club. Simmons tied for the major league lead with six shutouts in 1952 and logged a career-best 21 complete games in 1954. Among all pitchers in franchise history, he ranks fifth in wins and innings (1,939.2), sixth in games started, tied for sixth in shutouts and ninth in strikeouts (1,052). He was selected to three All-Star teams with the Phillies in 1952-53 and 1957, earning the starting nods in both the 1952 and 1957 Midsummer Classics.

Born Curtis Thomas Simmons on May 19, 1929, in Egypt, Pa., he was a graduate of Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania, leading the school club to three consecutive Lehigh Valley championships. He also won two state championships with the Coplay American Legion team, and in 1945 played in both the Pennsylvania American Legion All-Star Game at Shibe Park and East-West American Legion All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds, where he was managed by Babe Ruth.

After impressing in an exhibition game against the Phillies in his hometown of Egypt on June 2, 1947, the Phillies signed him on June 16 to one of the highest bonuses at the time. They outbid eight other major league teams, the last of which were Boston and Detroit.

Simmons enjoyed a 20-year career in the majors, pitching for the Phillies (1947-50; 1952-60), St. Louis Cardinals (1960-66), Chicago Cubs (1966-67) and California Angels (1967). A member of the pennant-winning “Whiz Kids” team, Simmons missed part of the 1950 season, including the World Series, serving in the National Guard during the Korean War. He also missed the entire 1951 season while fulfilling his military commitment.

In 1947, then Philadelphia Phillies owner Bob Carpenter arranged for an exhibition match between his Phillies and a team of all-star high school players from the Lehigh Valley. The game was played on the opening day of Egypt Memorial Park in front of a crowd of 4,500. Simmons struck out eleven and the game ended in a 4–4 tie (a late-game error was the only thing that prevented the high school team from winning). The 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 175 lb (79 kg) lefty was signed by the Phillies, and awarded a $65,000 signing bonus (one of the highest ever awarded at that time). That spring, Simmons also pitched and played outfield in an All-American high school game between teams managed by Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. In 1949, Simmons returned to the Lehigh Valley, pitching for the Phillies in an exhibition match (a game won by a 10–3 margin) against the Allentown Redbirds, in front of a record crowd of 4,590 at Whitehall's Breadon Field.

Simmons won 17 of 25 decisions during the 1950 season, playing a role in bringing Philadelphia its second National League (NL) championship of the 20th century. With the outbreak of the Korean War, however, Simmons was called to active military service in September 1950, with only a month remaining in the campaign. The Phillies managed to hold off the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1950 season's final contest (on Dick Sisler's 10th-inning home run) to win the NL flag by two games. Simmons was stationed at Camp Atterbury and requested and was granted a leave on October 4, 1950 to attend the Series. The Phillies chose not to request that the Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler rule Simmons eligible for the Series, but Simmons chose to attend to support the team. Simmons' place on the Series roster was taken by pitcher Jocko Thompson. Without Simmons, the Phillies were swept in four games by Joe DiMaggio and the New York Yankees.

Simmons missed the entire 1951 season while in the military, but he returned in 1952 to win 14 games, posting a 2.82 earned run average (ERA) and leading Major League Baseball with six shutouts. The team would never again contend for a championship during his tenure there, although Simmons continued to pitch into the late 1950s. In 1959, he was struck with a sore arm, and in 1960, the Phillies, then in last place and in rebuilding mode, released him on May 17, 1960, after four mound appearances. Simmons signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals three days later, and began a comeback that culminated in 15- and 18-game-winning seasons in 1963 and 1964, respectively, while in a pitching rotation that included Bob Gibson and Ray Sadecki. In 1964, he appeared in the World Series against the New York Yankees. He started two games for the eventual world champion Cardinals, losing his only decision but compiling a 2.51 ERA.

Simmons’ last winning record was in 1964; he lost 15 games for St. Louis in 1965, then finished his career with the Chicago Cubs and California Angels, in 1966 and 1967. His final record, over 20 years, was 193–182 (.515). In 569 games pitched and 3,3481⁄3 innings, Simmons allowed 3,313 hits and 1,063 bases on balls. He recorded 1,697 strikeouts, 163 complete games, 36 shutouts, and five saves. Along with Smoky Burgess, Simmons was the last player to formally retire who had played in MLB in the 1940s (not counting Minnie Miñoso, who would later un-retire, twice). MLB Hall of Fame hitters Hank Aaron and Stan Musial each separately named Simmons as the toughest pitcher they had to face in their careers.

In his 20 major league seasons, the southpaw was 193-183 with 163 complete games, 36 shutouts and a 3.54 ERA in 569 career appearances (462 starts). He won a World Series in 1964 with the Cardinals, making two starts in that Fall Classic.

When Curt, his nickname, made his big league debut on September 28, 1947 (9-innings pitched, 9 strikeouts, 1 run allowed), he became the first Whitehall High School (Whitehall, Pennsylvania) graduate to play in the majors! AND, more than 900+ players who were born in Pennsylvania preceded Simmons, but Curt was the first from the town of Egypt (PA), to play in the majors.

After graduating, he was sent to the minors (Wilmington Blue Rocks) where he went 13-5, with a 2.69 ERA, and struck out 197 batters, in 147 innings of work. He also played in the minors for the Williamsport Grays in Florida.

Following his playing career, Simmons briefly returned to the Phillies in an instructional role in the minors in March 1970. He then spent most of his post-playing days managing the Limekiln Golf Club in Ambler, which he owned with Robin Roberts.

A 1993 inductee into the Phillies Wall of Fame, Simmons was first selected to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1968 and later the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Simmons is survived by his two sons, Timothy and Thomas, and daughter, Susan. He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 60 years, Dorothy, in 2012.

Funeral arrangements are pending.