Former big league pitcher Curt Simmons, who pitched primarily with the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, passed away this morning. No cause of death has been released. Simmons was 93.
Born and raised in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, Simmons was a high school pitching prodigy and had there been a draft back in 1947 the southpaw undoubtedly would have been the number one pick in the country. Simmons would sign with the Phillies after having struck out 11 Phillies in an exhibition game against his high school team and would make his big league debut with the club by the end of the season.
His breakout season came in 1950 as a member of the Whiz Kids going 17-8 with a 3.40 ERA. He likely would have won 20 games had he not been drafted into the Army that September shortly after the Korean War commenced. While the Phillies managed to win the NL pennant they were swept in the World Series by the mighty New York Yankees. While Simmons' presence might not have prevented a Yankee World Series triumph it might have stopped the sweep. It is worth noting that Simmons was the last surviving member of the Whiz Kids.
Simmons would miss the entire 1951 season due to military service, but would return in 1952. Between 1952 and 1957, Simmons would reach double digits in wins five times forming an effective one two punch with staff ace Robin Roberts. His effectiveness would decline in 1958 and he would miss nearly the entire 1959 season due to shoulder and elbow injuries.
After struggling on the mound, the Phillies would release Simmons in May 1960. Days later he was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals where he would pitch for parts of seven seasons. In 1964, Simmons won a career high 18 games on a Redbirds team which swooped in to wrest the NL pennant from a Phillies team which had unceremoniously dumped him four years earlier and could have used him in the stretch drive. Simmons would go on to earn his lone World Series ring.
Simmons' effectiveness would decline after the 1964 season. By the middle of the 1966 season, Simmons would be in a Chicago Cubs uniform before ending his pitching career with the California Angels the following year. In a 20-year big league career, Simmons went 193-183 with a 3.54 ERA in 569 appearances (462 of them starts) striking out 1697 batters in 3348.1 innings pitched.
While not a Hall of Famer, Simmons enjoyed a long, solid career and was well remembered by both Phillies and Cardinals fans. R.I.P.
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