Former Big Leaguer in the News…Curt Simmons

193 game winner Curt Simmons, 79, was on hand last Saturday for the grand opening of the “Play Ball” baseball exhibit at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum in Pennsylvania. The exhibit, which will run through December, aims to chronicle baseball history through the eyes of players with ties to Lehigh Valley. In addition to Curt, John ”Fat Jack” Fisher, who won 86 career games and posted a 2.99 ERA with the 1968 White Sox, and infielder Pat Kelly, who spent seven seasons with the Yankees, hail from Lehigh Valley.

Curt’s baseball career began in story book fashion when 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. Much to the surprise of the Phillies, Curt struck out eleven and the game ended in a 4-4 tie. The Phillies promptly signed Curt who made his Big League debut that September. Amazingly, the eighteen year old threw a complete game shut out.

Curt’s career may not have quite lived up to that auspicious start, but it was pretty splendid nonetheless. The three time All-Star was dubbed one of the “Whiz Kids” after winning seventeen games for the National League Champion Phillies in 1950, lead the league in shutouts in 1952, and won eighteen games for the 1964 World Champion Cardinals.

The exhibit includes some of Curt’s personal mementos, including this amazing photo of Curt with Babe Ruth, who managed Curt during a high school All-Star game.

If you live anywhere near Lehigh Valley be sure to check the exhibit out before it closes in December!