Curt Simmons, a former MLB pitcher who spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, died on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. He was 93 years old. The cause of death was not announced, but the Phillies confirmed that Simmons died at his home in Ambler, Pennslyvania. He was the last surviving member of the 1950 “Whiz Kids” team that reached the World Series.
“The Phillies are saddened to learn of the passing of Curt Simmons, the last surviving member of the Whiz Kids and one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history,” the Phillies said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to his children, Susan, Timothy and Thomas, and the rest of his family and friends.”
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Simmons was with the Phillies from 1947-1960 and posted a record of 115-110 with 109 complete games, 18 shutouts and a 3.66 ERA in 352 starts. He tied for the major league lead with six shutouts in 1952 and notched a career-best 21 complete games in 1954. Simmons ranks fifth in Phillies history in wins and innings (1,939.2), sixth in games started, tied for sixth in shutouts and ninth in strikeouts (1,052). In 1950 He was selected to represent the Phillies in the All-Star game in 1952, 1953 and 1957.
Simmons pitched 20 seasons in the majors. Along with his time with the Phillies, Simmons pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-66), Chicago Cubs (1966-67) and California Angels (1967), and helped the Cardinals win a World Series in 1964. Overall, Simmons tallied a 193-183 record 193-183 with 163 complete games, 36 shutouts and a 3.54 ERA in 569 career appearances.
In 1993, Simmons was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. He was also indicted in the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. In an interview with Phillies Nation in 2014, Simmons was asked about the “Whiz Kids” team.
“In 1950, everybody got together and most of the guys had good years, ya know?” he said. “That’s what got us past the Dodgers. They were the cream of the crop, in those days. We got rolling and a lot of guys had good years. That’s what it takes – to get ’em all going. You can’t have two guys with good years and the rest of the guys slushing along. (A pennant-winning team) doesn’t work like that.”
