Ted Simmons elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

(From the St. Louis Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals congratulate former Redbirds catcher Ted Simmons who earned selection yesterday to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Simmons joined executive Marvin Miller as one of two individuals who received the necessary 75 percent of all ballots cast from the 10-name Modern Baseball Era vote.

"On behalf of the entire St. Louis Cardinals organization, I would like to congratulate Ted on this well-deserved honor and his selection among the greats to have ever played the game," stated Cardinals' Chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr. "Since being drafted by the Cardinals as a teenager, Ted Simmons has remained an active contributor to Major League Baseball at many levels both on, and off the field."

Simmons, who was a Cardinals 1st round draft selection in 1967, played 13 of his 21 seasons with St. Louis, debuting in 1968 at the age of 19. The switch-hitting Simmons batted a career .285 with 248 home runs and 1,389 RBI in 2,456 games played. Simmons' career RBI and hits (2,274) totals both rank 2nd all-time among catchers.

"Simba", who was voted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2015, batted .298 with 172 homers and 929 RBI in 1,564 games with the Cardinals from 1968-80 and ranks among the franchise's top-10 in career home runs, RBI, total bases (2,626) and grand slams (7). Simmons is still the Cardinals all-time single-season leader in home runs (26 in 1979) and RBI (96 in 1972) among catchers.

An eight-time All-Star (six selections as a Cardinal), Simmons garnered MVP votes seven times, including a 6th place finish during the 1975 season. During the period of the Modern Baseball Era (1970-87), Simmons led all Major League catchers with his 2,447 hits, 477 doubles and 1,375 RBI, and ranked 2nd in runs scored (1,068) and 4th in homers (246).

Following his playing career, which included stints with Milwaukee and Atlanta, Simmons served as the Cardinals Director of Player Development from 1988-91 before taking the GM post in Pittsburgh in 1992.

Simmons will become the 50th person with ties to the St. Louis Cardinals organization to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame during its induction ceremony to be held on Sunday, July 26, 2020 in Cooperstown, NY.