Curt Simmons

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Curtis Thomas Simmons (born May 19, 1929 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania) 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.

Simmons won 17 of 25 decisions that season, playing a major role in bringing Philadelphia its second NL championship of the 20th century. But, with the outbreak of the Korean War, Simmons was called to active military service in September, with a month remaining in the campaign. His absence from the Phils' rotation almost caused a swoon akin to the Quakers' 1964 collapse, but the underdog Whiz Kids, a collection of young players (Roberts, Simmons, Richie Ashburn, Del Ennis, Willie Jones, Granny Hamner, etc.), 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. Still without Simmons, they then were swept by the New York Yankees in four games in the 1950 World Series.

Simmons also missed the entire 1951 campaign while in the military, but he returned in 1952 to win 14 games and post a stellar 2.82 earned run average. The Phils would never again contend for a championship during his tenure there, although Simmons continued to pitch with success into the late 1950s. In 1959, he was stricken with a sore arm, and in 1960, the Phillies - now in last place and in rebuilding mode - released him after only four appearances. Signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals later that season, Simmons began a comeback that culminated in 15- and 18-game-wnning seasons in 1963-64. In 1964, he finally appeared in the World Series, against the Yankees. He started two games for the eventual champion Cardinals, and lost his only decision but compiled a stellar 2.51 ERA.

But 1964 saw his last winning record; he lost 15 games for St. Louis in '65, then finished his career with the Chicago Cubs and California Angels in 1966-67. His final record, over 20 years, was 193-182 (.515). Along with Smoky Burgess, he was the last player to formally retire who had played in the major leagues in the 1940s (not counting Minnie Miñoso, who un-retired twice).