Evening star., 1938-12-29
Simmons
Continued From First Page,)

my plans for a young team" said
Griffith. II would rather string
along with my rookie outielders and
try to rebuild into a first division
club" he added.
Simmons stock took one of the
all-time fast drops when, in the
winter of 1885, he was sold by the
Chicago White SoX to the Detroit
Tigers for a reported price of SIS, 900,
and in the following year after bat
ting 1927, Griffith bought him for
only $500.
In his two years at Washington
Simmons batted over 300 only once,
and that was last season when he
finished two points over that figure.
He moved over the 300 mark in the
opener of a double header against
the Athletics on the final day. Sim
mons did not start the second game
and Manager Bucky Harris said
later that he asked to be relieved.
Griffith argued that Simmons was
trying to protect his 1902 batting
average so that he could collect
bonus. 1t was as pinch-hitter in
the second game of this double
header that Simmons became en-
broiled in the argument with WASH
lngton fans.
Simmons was born in Milwaukee
on May %, 1903, and broke into pro-
fessional baseball in 1922 with Aber-
deem. He moved to Milwaukee of
the American Association and to
Shreveport of the Texas League be.
fore he was acquired by the Phila-
delphia Athletics in 1924. Despite
one of the most peculiar and un-
graceful batting stances in major
league baseball, Simmons was
regular right from the start, batting
1903 IN his first year and 1856 in
1925. 1t was with the Athletics that
Simmons achieved his greatest sue
cess. He followed his first two sea-
sons with batting averages of .343,
1892, .351, 1865. 381, 800 and .322.
In 1880 and 1881 he led the Amer
lean League in batting.
He was a member OF Connie
Mack's great team which won three
successive pennants in 1929, 1890
and 1881. The White Sox bought
Simmons, Jimmy Dykes and Out
fielder Mule Haas in the winter of
1882 for 100000, but while the Sox
shortened their leftfield stands in
order to capitalize on Simmons
long-range hitting, the big outfielder
never became very popular in Chi
cago, although he batted 1881 and
1874 during his first two seasons.
After slumping to 267 in 1885 he was
sold to the Tigers, who then were
champions of the world.
Although Detroit in 1896 was hit
hard by injuries and Simmons was
one of the few who had good year,
the Tigers wasted no time in selling
him during spring training in 1887.
Simmons career in Washington
was marked by frequent injuries
and a few dramatic moments, such
as the fist fight at Griffith Stadium
in 1887 with members of the st.
Louis Browns. Simmons charged
that Pitcher Oral Hildebrand had
purposely tried to hit him and when
Shortstop Bill Knickerbocker took
Hildebrand's side Simmons switched
his attack and after a play at Sec
ond base he and Knickerbocker
started to trade fists, touching off
a series of fights between players of
the two teams.
Feuded With Marberry.
In his heyday Simmons was IA
nous in Washington for his feud
with Pitcher Fred Marberry, claim
ing that the Nat relief pitcher al
ways threw at him. After the
Knickerbocker fight Simmons hand
was X-rayed and 1t was revealed
that Hildebrand's pitch had broken
the little finger.
In his Is years in the American
League Simmons twice has led the
league in hitting, twice in total
bases, twice In hits, once in runs
scored and once in runs batted in.
He is second to Lou Gehrig of the
Yankees for the lifetime batting
championship.