Curt Simmons

Who is Curt Simmons?

Curtis Thomas "Curt" Simmons is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1947–50 and 1952-67. With right-hander Robin Roberts, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Simmons was one of the twin anchors of the starting rotation of the "Whiz Kids", the Philadelphia Phillies' 1950 National League championship team. He is the youngest surviving player from the team.

While attending Whitehall High School, Simmons led his high school team to three straight league titles, and also led the Coplay American Legion team to two Pennsylvania state crowns.

In 1947, Philadelphia Phillies owner Bob Carpenter arranged for an exhibition match between the 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. Much to the surprise of the Phillies, Simmons struck out eleven and the game ended in a 4-4 tie. Simmons was signed by the Phillies, and was awarded a $65,000 signing bonus, one of the highest ever awarded at that time. That spring, Simmons also pitched and played outfield for an All-American high school game between teams managed by Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. In 1949, Simmons would return to the Lehigh Valley, pitching for the Phillies in an exhibition match against the Allentown Redbirds in front of a record crowd of 4,590 at Whitehall's Breadon Field.