Curt Simmons Obituary, Death – The passing of Curt Simmons marks the end of the line for the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies Whiz Kids team. Simmons was the last surviving member of the team. He was 93. The Phillies have confirmed his passing on Tuesday, which took place at his home in Ambler, Pennsylvania; however, they have not disclosed the reason for his passing. The left-handed pitcher had a record of 115-110 with 109 complete games, 18 shutouts, and a 3.66 ERA in 325 games (263 starts) over the course of 13 seasons with the team. He is considered one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the franchise.
In 1952, Simmons finished tied for first place in the major league with six shutouts and in 1954, he set a career high with 21 complete games. He is tied for fifth all-time in wins and innings pitched (1,939 2/3), sixth all-time in games started, tied for sixth all-time in shutouts, and ninth all-time in strikeouts. While playing for the Phillies in 1952, 1953, and 1957, he was chosen for All-Star teams all three years. He was the starting pitcher for the All-Star Game in both 1952 and 1957. Simmons, a member of the “Whiz Kids” team that ended up winning the pennant, was called up to serve in the National Guard during the Korean War, which caused him to miss a portion of the 1950 season, including the World Series. In addition, he was required to serve in the military in 1951, which caused him to miss the entire season.
The 1950 Whiz Kids failed to advance past the first round of the World Series against the New York Yankees. During his 20 years in the major leagues with four different organizations, Simmons compiled a career record of 193-183 with 163 complete games, 36 shutouts, and a 3.54 earned run average in 569 career appearances (462 starts). In 1964, he was a part of the Cardinals team that won the World Series. In 1993, he was honored by the Phillies by having his name engraved on the team’s Wall of Fame. Susan, along with his sons Timothy and Thomas, is the only child of Simmons that he leaves behind. He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 60 years, Dorothy, in 2012.