Curt Simmons

Curtis Thomas Simmons (May 19, 1929 – December 13, 2022) was an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1947 to 1950 and from 1952 to 1967. Born in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the eastern part of the state, he attended Whitehall High School, where he led the school to three straight league titles, and he also led the Coplay American Legion team to two Pennsylvania state crowns. In 1947, Phillies owner Bob Carpenter arranged an exhibition between his club and a team of all-star high school players from the Lehigh Valley, played on the opening day of Egypt Memorial Park on June 2, 1947, before a crowd of 4,500. Simmons signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, and along with right-hander Robin Roberts he became one of the twin anchors of the starting rotation of the "Whiz Kids," the Phillies' 1950 National League championship team. A three-time MLB All-Star, he later pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Cubs, and the California Angels.