RetroSimba

(Updated Feb. 27, 2022)

In the seven seasons they played together for the Cardinals, Bob Forsch and Ted Simmons formed a special bond. Forsch pitched 12 shutouts during that time, including his first big-league win and a no-hitter, and Simmons was the catcher for each of those dozen gems.

When Forsch debuted with the Cardinals on July 7, 1974, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Reds at Cincinnati, Tim McCarver was the catcher and Simmons played first base. After that, Simmons caught the majority of Forsch’s games while they were Cardinals teammates from 1974-80.

Simmons caught more of Forsch’s games than any other catcher during the pitcher’s 16 seasons in the majors.

Forsch pitched in 498 regular-season games. Simmons was his catcher in 181 of those (or 36 percent), according to baseball-reference.com.

(The catchers who caught Forsch the next-most were Darrell Porter at 85 and Tony Pena at 40. Craig Biggio, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a second baseman, broke into the major leagues as a catcher and was Forsch’s batterymate in 25 games for the Astros in 1988 and 1989.)

Simmons, who led the Cardinals in RBI for seven consecutive seasons (1972-78), helped Forsch develop into a Cardinals ace.

Forsch had a career ERA of 3.76. In games caught by Simmons, Forsch’s ERA was 3.43.

Opponents had a career batting average against Forsch of .261. In games caught by Simmons, foes hit .254 versus Forsch.

Here is a breakdown of the shutouts Forsch pitched with Simmons as his catcher:

First win

In his second appearance with the Cardinals _ and his first with Simmons as his catcher _ Forsch pitched a four-hit shutout against the Braves for his first win in the major leagues.

Forsch held the Braves to four singles at St. Louis on July 12, 1974. He also singled off Lew Krausse for his first big-league hit.

Simmons was 1-for-3 with a run scored. He also walked and was hit by a pitch.

The Cardinals supported Forsch with a nine-run first inning and won, 10-0.

“With a lead like that, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t walk anybody,” Forsch said to the Associated Press. Boxscore

Beat the Mets

Forsch yielded a leadoff single to Bud Harrelson, then didn’t give up another hit until the fifth. He pitched a four-hitter in a 3-0 Cardinals victory against the Mets on Sept. 6, 1974, at St. Louis.

Simmons contributed two singles against Jerry Koosman and a double off a former teammate, Harry Parker. Boxscore

Fast start

In the Cardinals’ second game of the season, Forsch pitched a two-hitter in a 4-0 victory over the Expos at St. Louis on April 9, 1975. The Expos were limited to singles by Tony Scott and Barry Foote.

Simmons had a sacrifice fly, a single and a RBI-double off Steve Rogers. Boxscore

Astros grounded

Cesar Cedeno singled in the first, Larry Dierker singled in the third and the Astros were held hitless by Forsch for the rest of the game. Forsch pitched a two-hitter in a 6-0 Cardinals victory at Houston on June 6, 1975.

Simmons had a single, a walk and scored a run. Boxscore

Cubs all wet

In a game delayed by rain for more than two hours at the start, Forsch retired the first 10 Cubs batters in a row before Rick Monday doubled with one out in the fourth. Forsch pitched a four-hitter in a 4-0 triumph on Aug. 2, 1975, at Chicago.

Simmons and Forsch each had a RBI. Boxscore

Big finale

In his last start of the season, Forsch pitched a three-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Pirates on Sept. 26, 1975, at St. Louis.

Simmons drove in the run with a RBI-single off Jim Rooker in the first, scoring Lou Brock.

Forsch limited the Pirates to singles by Rennie Stennett, Willie Stargell and Manny Sanguillen. Boxscore

Cruise control

Forsch pitched a three-hitter in a 4-0 Cardinals victory over the Astros at St. Louis on July 21, 1977. Jose Cruz, Forsch’s former teammate, had two of the hits. Enos Cabell had the other.

Simmons twice drove in Garry Templeton from third with RBI-groundouts off J.R. Richard. Boxscore

Mets muzzled

After yielding a single to Bruce Boisclair in the first inning, Forsch gave up one other hit _ a Lenny Randle single in the sixth _ in pitching a two-hitter against the Mets on Aug. 17, 1977, at St. Louis.

Simmons had a single and a walk and scored a run in the Cardinals’ 2-0 triumph. Boxscore

Unhittable

Forsch pitched the first of his two no-hitters, beating the Phillies, 5-0, on April 16, 1978, at St. Louis.

“Forsch threw a profound power sinker, and that day it was so powerful that we all knew he was going to throw it, but that wasn’t going to make a bit of difference,” Simmons recalled to Cardinals Magazine.

“By the fifth inning, they realized he was going with his sinker 98 percent of the time and they weren’t going to be able to lift it. If they made contact, it was going to be a groundball and they were going to be out.”

In the ninth, Forsch retired Jay Johnstone, Bake McBride and Larry Bowa on groundouts.

Simmons was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Boxscore

On a roll

In his third start after the no-hitter, Forsch pitched a five-hitter in a 9-0 Cardinals victory over the Giants on May 2, 1978, at St. Louis. Simmons and Forsch each had a RBI.

The Giants had three doubles, including one by Jack Clark, and stranded seven. Boxscore

Ted goes deep

Simmons broke a scoreless tie in the seventh with a home run off Burt Hooton and Forsch pitched a three-hitter in a 2-0 Cardinals victory over the Dodgers on May 11, 1978, at Los Angeles.

In the bottom of the ninth, Vic Davalillo, the former Cardinal, led off with a single. Forsch then got Ron Cey to hit into a double play and followed that with a strikeout of Steve Garvey. Boxscore

Phillies baffled

Forsch held the Phillies to three singles _ including one by their 37-year-old catcher, McCarver _ in a 5-0 Cardinals victory on July 27, 1979, at Philadelphia.

Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt were a combined 0-for-6 with a walk against Forsch.

Simmons and Forsch each contributed a RBI. Boxscore

Previously: Bob Forsch, Ted Simmons: Cardinals classic battery