Former Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 16, 2010. Before a crowd of 1,500 at a downtown St. Louis hotel, Simmons was part of the hall’s second induction class, joining former Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean and former Browns first baseman George Sisler.
Simmons told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the honor was “staggering.”
He also was interviewed by television station KSDK. Among the highlights of the KSDK interview:
_ Asked about his approach to hitting and why he became known for line drives, Simmons said he adopted a stroke similar to teammate Matty Alou by making a “top down” swing on pitches and trying to avoid hitting high fly balls into the spacious outfield of Busch Stadium.
_ Regarding the St. Louis Hall of Fame induction, Simmons said “it means I’ve basically been accepted in this community after being here for 35 years.” He called it “a very special honor for me.”
Simmons also concluded his first season as manager of the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, an experience that enhanced his reputation as a talent evaluator.
In an article by Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com, Simmons talked about his first managerial effort and how much he enjoyed working from the third-base coaching box while his team was at bat.
Among those interviewed for the article was Kevin Towers, general manager of the Diamondbacks, who said of Simmons, “He has a great baseball mind, an incredible baseball mind … He’s a good man. Very loyal. Tough.”
RetroSimba 
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