1977 N.L. CENTENNIAL: TED SIMMONS

Today we add recent Hall of Fame (finally!) member Ted Simmons to my on-going 1977 N.L. Centennial thread, as the National League celebrated their 100th anniversary during the 1976 season:

Simmons was already firmly established as a top-notch catcher  in the Major Leagues. But sadly for him he happened to be playing at the same time that guys like Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, Thurman Munson and then Gary Carter were doing the same, easily allowing people to lose him in the shuffle.
But look at this guy's career!
Simmons went on to post a Big League resume that included eight All-Star nods, six seasons of 20+ homers, eight 90+ RBI campaigns and seven years of a .300 or better average.
By the time he retired after the 1988 season, he finished with 2472 hits, 248 homers, 1389 RBIs and a .285 average.
At the same time, playing in the era of the free-swinging 70’s and 80’s, he struck out only 694 times in 9685 plate appearances while twice leading his league in Intentional Base on Balls.
I have always been stunned at the fact that “Simba” garnered a meager 3.7% vote in his first chance at the Hall of Fame, thus becoming a ridiculous “one and done” candidate.

But thankfully, in 2020 he was finally selected for Hall of Fame membership, voted in by the Veteran's Committee, and rightly so!

NICKNAMES OF THE 1970'S: "SIMBA" TED SIMMONS

Time to go and give a catcher who I believe should be in the Hall of Fame, Ted Simmons, a “Nicknames of the 1970’s” card for his “Simba” tag:

Simmons was already firmly established as a top-notch catcher  in the Major Leagues. But sadly for him he happened to be playing at the same time that guys like Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, Thurman Munson and then Gary Carter were doing the same, easily allowing people to lose him in the shuffle.
But look at this guys career!
Simmons went on to post a Big League resume that included eight All-Star nods, six seasons of 20+ homers, eight 90+ RBI campaigns and seven years of a .300 or better average.
By the time he retired after the 1988 season, he finished with 2472 hits, 248 homers, 1389 RBIs and a .285 average.
At the same time, playing in the era of the free-swinging 70’s and 80’s, he struck out only 694 times in 9685 plate appearances while twice leading his league in Intentional Base on Balls.
I have always been stunned at the fact that “Simba” garnered a meager 3.7% vote in his first chance at the Hall of Fame, thus becoming a ridiculous “one and done” candidate.
Flawed system to say the least!

1975 IN-ACTION: TED SIMMONS

Time to go an add should-be Hall of Fame catcher Ted Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals to my ongoing 1975 “In-Action” thread:

“Simba” was smack in the middle of an incredible run for ANY catcher in Major League history, collecting over 190 hits twice, driving in over 100 runs twice, while hitting as high as .332, getting named to the National League All-Star team three straight years between 1972-1974.
The man went on to have one of the greatest MLB careers for catchers, playing 21-years for the Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves, hitting .285 with 248 home runs and 1389 runs batted in and scoring 1074 runs, with 2472 hits and 483 doubles.
Along the way he made eight All-Star teams while getting MVP consideration seven seasons, yet unbelievably, when it was time for him to get some Hall of Fame love in 1994, he only received 3.7% of the vote, knocking him of the ballot after only one year. Just ridiculous.
Seriously, this was one of those moments when I realized how much of a joke the HOF is, and I’ve been sour on it ever since.
Anyway, Ted Simmons, if not under the shadows of Johnny Bench, Gary Carter, Carlton Fisk, would be in, and had an amazing career that should be appreciated a lot more.

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1970 TED SIMMONS

Here was a fun card to create, a 1970 “Not So Missing” Ted Simmons card for a guy that should have gotten more Hall of Fame support for his stellar 21-year career:

Simmons was still a teenager when this card would have come out, appearing in five games for St. Louis and collecting three hits over 14 at-bats.
Of course, the man would go on to be one of the greatest hitting catchers of all-time, but sadly stuck in the shadows of guys like Johnny Bench and Gary Carter, never getting the attention he should have gotten in my opinion.
The eight-time All-Star went on to collect 2472 hits, with 483 doubles, 248 home runs and 1389 runs batted in, hitting an excellent .285 over his 2456 games.
He would drive in over 100 runs in a season three times, while also adding another five seasons of 90+, with six seasons of 20 or more homers.
Just look at this guy’s career. How on earth did he only get 3.7% support in his ONLY year on the Hall of Fame ballot?
I just do not get it.
One last stat I will leave you with: in 8680 career at-bats, Simmons struck out only 694 times. That is only 8 strikeouts per 100 at-bats over his entire career.
This man is a Hall of Fame catcher in my book.