This blog is produced by Mark Tomasik, a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, and is dedicated to providing insights into Cardinals history.
My all-time favorite Cardinal is Stan Musial. At age 7, I attended my first big-league game at the Polo Grounds in New York and saw Musial against the Mets in his last appearance as a player in New York. From then on, I’ve been a devoted fan of the Cardinals and Musial.
The name of this blog, though, is in honor of Ted “Simba” Simmons, the longtime Cardinals catcher. Simmons was the Cardinal I most identified with in the 1970s when I was a teen. He was strong, consistent, intelligent and independent. He was a fun player to follow and I only wish he could have experienced a championship with the Cardinals.
RetroSimba 
Mark,
‘Retro Simba’ Holy Cow.
Hey, honestly, real clean, to-the-point effort here by you. Just the right touch of visuals that draws your eyes into it. No clutter, easy to read setup – must have by Diane’s design.
Call it BS all you want, will be go-to Cardinals site as others catch on and know you will keep it updated.
Thanks for sharing.
Mike
Hi Mark – –
I came across your site while at SABR, and seeing the “Simba” name and Cardinals link, I had to check it out. Ted Simmons was one of my favorite ball players in the 1970s and 1980s. I followed his career all the way up to the end with Atlanta. It was too bad he never got into a World Series with the Cardinals, having instead to play against them in the 1982 Series.
There was an article in Sports Illustrated in the mid-1970s that I still have, in which it told of Ted’s playing career with the Cardinals and his collecting of antique furniture, which led him to be named to the St. Louis Museum of Art Board of Directors.
A couple of remembrances of Ted are a baseball card that I got from Hostess that showed the world why he was nicknamed Simba (shoulder-length hair) and, in a game with the Cubs in 1978, he smacked a homer and when he got to home plate, the umpire tossed him out of the game. Whatever he said, he went out with a bang.
Thanks for your work at this site – I’ll be back often!
Robb
Robb:
Thanks for visiting my site and taking the time to write a comment.
Ted Simmons always has conducted himself with class. It’s good to know there others, like yourself, who appreciated him.
Mark
Thought you might like to see this if you haven’t already. I stumbled upon it while just searching Ted, which I do sometimes just to keep up.
Maggie: Thank you very much for sharing this clip. I hadn’t seen it. Glad you sent it.
Hey, drop me a line if you want to be in next version of StL Baseball for iPhone and Android.
I grew up in Stl and am a huge Simba fan. This is an awesome site thanks for having it. Ted Simmons to the hall of fame is my mantra!!!
Hi, Maggie:
Always great to hear from another Ted Simmons fan. Thank you for your comments and for visiting the site. Tough day for all Cardinals fans today on the passing of Bob Forsch, who was one of Ted Simmons’ favorite pitchers.
Mark
Just stumbled on this site for the first time today as I was searching to see if there was a comment from Simmons on the passing of Bob Forsch. Ted Simmons is my favorite all-time Cardinal player, and I was also a big fan of Bob Forsch. Will check back to see what else get posted on this Cards site. Simba Rules!
Tammy:
Thank you for your comment and for visiting the blog. I will post an item soon about Bob Forsch, who was one of my most-liked Cardinals, too. I will keep a look-out for statements from Ted Simmons about Bob Forsch and post any I find.
Mark
In a recent article concerning Minnie Minoso, a writer, Oscar Kahan is quoted.
I’m not familiar with him as a famous sportswriter. Will you tell me a bit about him?
Oliver Black
Oliver:
Thank you for reading my blog.
Oscar Kahan was a sports reporter for the St. Louis Star-Times and then the Associated Press. He became assistant managing editor of The Sporting News and remained there for 32 years. He usually wrote about baseball, especially the Cardinals, in the 1950s and 1960s.
Mark
Thanks for the info… while an avid follower of baseball in those years in Philly, I just did not know of him. I assume he is no longer around…. part of a passing era of baseball and sports in general we probably will never see again. Quite unlike the overpaid egoists we see in many sorts these days.
Oliver
I noticed that Baseball Reference had nicknames for many players, but not Ted, so I suggested that as Simba was widely used in reference to Simmons, they should add that to his bio, and recently they did. Feel like I did my small part.
Well done! Thanks for taking action and for taking the time to inform me.
,
Mark, wonder if you have ever come across a reference to the Gashouse Gang giving Dizzy Dean a presentation bat enscribed: To Jerome “Dizzy” Dean “The Gang” Bob M. springfvr9@aol.com
Thanks for your comment. I checked 2 biographies _ “Diz” by Robert Gregory and “Ol’ Diz” by Vince Slaten _ and couldn’t find a reference to the bat. Dean did prefer to be called “Jerome.”
Today, I found your Retro Simba blog. Like you, I’m a long time Cards fan, dating back from the 60’s. I had originally jumped on the bandwagon during their 1964 pennant race and World Series. So, I was reading some of the articles. (Sounds like you’re a couple of years younger than me.)
Thanks for your comment and for reading the blog, Diane. I always appreciate Cardinals fans who appreciate Cardinals history.
Hi Mark — Dave Kane in Springfield, Illinois. I’d always had the image of “scrappy overachiever” when I thought of Mike Tyson, but you obviously cleared that up for me. Your stuff is outstanding; brings back many memories for me, who also had my formative years as a Cardinal fan in the crappy 1970s!
Dave: Great to hear from you. I think all the “scrappy overachievers” were on The Evansville Press sports staff. I’ll never forget how we got to attend the 1982 World Series together. Special times.
This site is outstanding. Thank you, THANK YOU! Been a fan of the Cards since 1964. Great job, the ‘six degrees of’ game can be played here endlessly.
Thank you very much. It’s always great to make a connection with a longtime Cardinals fan.
I always enjoy the stories. Check the blog site daily and share some of your memories. Can’t Thank You enough for the great reads of Cardinals history.
Thank you, Tim. I appreciate your feedback and your readership.
If I recall correctly, Joe Torre once said – “I’ve never seen anyone hit a ball harder more consistently than Ted SImmons”. Anyone who saw him play knows he was a fearsome hitter, from both sides of the plate. Didn’t strike out, always drove in 80-100 runs and was a line drive machine. Thanks for the memories Ted SImmons!
Thanks for the insights, Pete. You summarized well many of the attributes that made Ted Simmons a special Cardinals player.
i’m in upstate ny but i’ve been a cardinal fan since the 40’s. never been to st. louis but i saw a lot of games in st. petersburg at the old al lang field. quite a thrill for a kid to be a few feet from musial, brecheen, pollet and slaughter.
Thanks for the insights, Herb. You got to witness some of the best all-time Cardinals. Always nice to hear from fellow Cardinals fans.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a Cardinals fan; I’ve seen games at Busch I, Busch II and Busch III. So, I was delighted to discover retrosimba.com. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the feedback, Mike, and thanks for reading. I enjoy connecting with fellow Cardinals fans!
Wow! What an awesome website. I love to read about Cardinal history. Thanks for your efforts. I just discovered your site and I am so excited to have such a good reference to learn from! Thanks for putting such a great item out there representing the best organization in baseball!….GO Cards!
Chris: Thanks for reading and for the feedback. I enjoy doing this for fellow Cardinals fans.
I just found your website through a link from Will Leitch at SOE and I’ll be sure to bookmark it. I only wish that I had found it sooner as the content is fantastic. I will have a lot of reading to do to catch up.
On a separate note, Ted Simmons was also my favorite player growing up. I was wondering if anyone had any detailed information on his walk-up song when he was coming to bat. If I remember correctly, it was a tune from his daughter’s jewelry box. However, I do not know the name of the actual song (if it even has one). I’d love to make that my phone’s ring tone, if I could ever find out the song title.
Steve: Thanks for your feedback and thanks for reading. I recall well that walk-up jingle played as Ted Simmons came to bat at home games. I’ll research it and let you know if I find out anything.
Was Simmons’s song Swan Lake?
This site is great! I started following the Cardinals in 1976. As with many others Ted Simmons was my hero. His getting traded to Milwaulkee was a real dose of worldly reality– I was still young and naive; it never occurred to me he could ever be traded. Anyway, I love this blog!
Thank you, Emerson. I always enjoy connecting with a fellow Ted Simmons fan and Cardinals fan!
To Mark Tomasik. From Ross Lewis-former NFL photographer (1972-1984). I am crafting a photography book about Yankee Stadium. I am seeking the 1943 photograph (Game 1 Yankees/Cardinals) of the near-miss B-17 plane flown by Jack Watson. Please contact me at rossl-see@att.net. I would very much appreciate your help with this. Thank you.
Ross: I don’t own or possess the photo. Sorry.
Great site! I look forward to each of the new entries and also your back log of great stories ranging from prospect lists to personal insight. Keep up the good work!!
Retrosimba!
Long-time listener. First-time caller. Could you please contact me via email? I need your help.
Thank you!
In reference to the above email regarding Teddy getting thrown out of the game. I was in ninth grade laying outside twisting my radio to get KMOX reception at night in Pensacola Florida. Jack Buck calls it as Simmons not being happy with a couple of called strike calls and had words with the umpire on both occasions, then proceeded to knock one out of the park, if memory serves correct, as he crossed home plate he tipped his cap to the umpire and he was thrown out of the game, as only Jack could describe, it is the best visual I never saw…..
Thanks for sharing that wonderful remembrance, Brad. Here is a link to the post I did on that game: https://retrosimba.com/2013/05/22/how-ted-simmons-got-ejected-after-belting-a-home-run/
HI Mark – have a question for you. Possible to email me? (I input my email to post – so I assume you can see it). Thanks, Mike.
A wonderful day for any Simba fan!!! A well deserved honor of being included with the greats in Cooperstown …. Way to go Ted !!! You earned it – and thanks to the committee for being thoughtful and researched
Well-said. Thanks!
I also began as a Stan Musial fan in the 1950s and stayed with the Cards even though I grew up and live in New Jersey. Ted Simmons was my favorite Cardinal through the 1970s as well, and I have been telling my friends (mostly shitty Yankee fans) that Ted’s numbers are as good or better than Johnny Bench, and he should have been elected to the HOF years ago. So happy that he is finally getting his due. I have already bought tickets to be at Cooperstown next July and hope to meet “Simba” and shake his hand (and get him to sign my baseball card from 1979). I am still pissed that Whitey Herzog traded Ted away (and Keith Hernandez), probably costing the cards a World Championship or two.
Thanks for sharing your story, Martin. I also was born and raised in the Garden State in Bayonne, NJ. I am impressed you will be at Ted Simmons’ Hall of Fame induction. Enjoy!
Hi,
I really enjoy your blog posts as they reach way back in Cardinal history. I grew up as a Cards fan in southern Illinois in the ‘70’s, and just love reading the stories behind lesser-known names like Keener, Olmsted, Green, Kennedy, Martin, Littell and Fulgham.
Thank you, Herb. I appreciate the feedback and the chance to connect with a fellow Cardinals fan.
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I came across your website while researching Roger Maris injury history and am hooked on your well researched articles. Congratulations to Ted Simmons long overdue induction into the baseball HOF.
Hi, Richard. Thanks for reading and for commenting. It’s great to connect with folks who appreciate baseball history.
Love the blog maybe we could chat sometime may have something’s to contribute to the effort. Have a large collection and archive of St. Louis Baseball.
Thank you, Jerry. It’s wonderful to hear from a respected collector, researcher and historian. I have the Cardinals Encyclopedia you did with Bob Broeg. It’s a terrific work.
The ” Foreword” in Mr. Rickey’s Redbirds prompts 2 comments: (1) The 1964 WS title was the first in my life as well, earning me the very same bragging rights, but in the 6th grade in Burlington, NJ. (2) I also remember watching Stan’s final NY appearance at the Polo Grounds in 1963, but unfortunately it was via a blurry b+w TV set. The analog signal barely reached us in southern NJ from its Channel 9 broadcast origin. Watching “the Man” him punish the Mets to the tune of a .405 BA for those 1962 & 1963 seasons was most enjoyable.
Hi, Paul. Thanks for reaching out. It’s a pleasure to hear from another baseball fan with New Jersey roots. I’m glad you, too, have special memories of the 1964 World Series and the bonus appearances Stan Musial got to make in the Polo Grounds against the Mets. I remember fondly those TV games on WOR Channel 9 from New York and WPIX Channel 11 from New York. Growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s was a terrific experience and baseball was a sweet part of it.
I had to climb atop the roof of our tiny Cape Cod style NJ house in order to swing the TV antenna 180 degrees so it would point NE toward NYC instead of SW toward PHA in order to receive WOR Channel 9. Fortunately, the expansion Mets televised just about every game, home & away in 1962 & 1963. And the Redbirds played them 18x per year! The punchless Phillies also broadcasted most of their games, so I got to see a lot of Stan in his final two years alongside White, Javier, Groat, Maxie, Boyer, Gibson, McCarver, Sadecki & the Curts (Simmons & Flood) in their prime under the direction of Johnny Keane. They should have won the pennant in ’63 as well as ’64. Viewing the mighty Yankees on Channel 11 was a little more difficult…WPIX’s tv signal was apparently weaker than that of Channel 9’s WOR. Once in great while, I could bring in the Pirates broadcast from Channel 8 in Lancaster, PA if conditions were just right (overcast &/or raining in NJ, but clear in STL). Of course, after 9:00 pm (remember back then, the games began at 8:05pm CDT, which was 9:05 pm EDT for us). I would begin to receive the KMOX radio signal on 1120AM with its 3 HOF broadcasters Harry Caray, Jack Buck & Joe Garagiola just as the game was beginning., The Cardinals farm system & prudent trades were creating a championship team in the early ’60s prior to the arrival of the icing atop the cake: Lou Brock. Who could have imagined that one HOFer would replace another HOFer in LF? That team played such great defense up the middle with Timmy Mac (very underrated: his superb pitch-calling, excellent glove work, quick footwork & bat made up for his relatively weak throwing arm), Javier & Groat (then Maxie) & Flood. The entire 1963 NL All-Star IF wore Cardinal uniforms in the mid-summer classic, including Gold Glove bookends of White & Boyer on the IF corners.
Your comments bring back many good memories. I can relate to that special thrill of the KMOX signal coming in at night, weak at first with lots of crackle and then stronger and stronger as the night went on, It seemed like magic, being able to connect that way. It made the Cardinals baseball seasons extra-special then, sparking the imagination.
Your site is fantastic. I discovered your site while trying to find info on Ted Simmons’, “Walk Up Song”. I would appreciate anything you could tell me about that little jingle and it’s significance to Ted Simmons. This has puzzled me for decades. I would like to make it my phone ring. Also, in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and possibly 2000’s, there was a gentleman with an attractive blond woman who sat directly behind home plate for every game in the same two seats. They were obviously season ticket holders. The gentleman usually wore a white shirt and the woman appeared casually well dressed. He gave the appearance of being a business man who came directly from work in center city. I used to watch those two as much as the game and often wondered who they were. Could you tell me anything? Thanks.
Thanks, Ronald. I am glad you are enjoying the site. I appreciate your comments.
The tinkle of chimes that organist Ernie Hays played as the walkup song for Ted Simmons in the 1970s was a piece from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” According to a 1974 article by Dick Kaegel in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Simmons said he chose it in honor of his young son Jon, who had the tune on a music box. “I just liked it and asked Hays to play it for me,” Simmons said. According to the Post-Dispatch, Simmons went on a hitting streak soon after Hays began playing the piece and so the song remained Simmons’ walkup.
As for the couple seated behind home plate, I have no info.
Hi Mark – also LOVE the site. I have a question I’ve been unable to get answered on the internet and given your background I thought you might be able to help.
I’ve been researching the 1973 pennant race & much is mentioned on Gibby’s absence/injury (understandably so) but I also notice that Joe Torre did not play for the last week and a half or so of the season. Any idea why? And if it was injury-related, do you (speculation of course) think it would have kept him out of the NLCS had the Cardinals won the division? Thanks, Larry
Hi, Larry. Thanks for reading. I appreciate the kind words.
Joe Torre got his 2,000th career hit on Sept. 23 against the Mets, then sat out the last 6 games of the 1973 season. The Cardinals won 5 of those 6.
According to The Sporting News, Torre had right shoulder inflammation and, after he was examined by a neurologist, it was decided he should skip the last 6 games of the season.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Torre was “troubled by his right shoulder for some time. The nagging injury affected Torre’s swing for a month and, finally, his throwing.”
Torre told The Sporting News the shoulder became sore probably because of shifting so much between first and third.
For the month of September that year, Torre hit .259 with just one home run.
There is no doubt he could not swing or throw at 100 percent, but my guess is he would have played if the Cardinals got into the playoffs. It would have been Torre’s first chance to play in a postseason and I could not see him passing up that chance. Also, even in his weakened condition, he finished the season tied for the team lead in home runs and was second in RBI. The Cardinals needed his bat. Another clue: the Post-Dispatch described the injury as “nagging,” not debilitating, so I think he would have played in the NLCS if the Cardinals had won the division title.
Wow! Thanks for such a quick and thorough reply…definitely fills in the details
As a Wally Post fan, you have the best article ever on his long home run off Curt Simmons. Well done! Post hit the longest tape measure shots in the 50s and early 60s with the possible exception of Mantle. I think Post, Adcock, Stuart, Wynn and Frank Howard all did not get enough credit for their distance shots. I’ve started reading some of your other blogs and they are great! Thanks for the excellent work.
Thank you, Bill. I am so glad that you found that Wally Post story and enjoyed it. I had so much fun researching it. I learned a lot. I absolutely agree with what you say about sluggers such as Post, Adcock, Stuart, Wynn and Howard being vastly underrated. Wally Post was a quiet, classy run producer.
i know this is superficial, but simmons looked like someone who had weed i would like to try or not try……maybe it was one of his baseball cards? in any case he looked really stoned and not too social and i related to that.
Thanks, Steve. I read a 1978 Sport magazine feature on Ted Simmons in which he acknowledged smoking pot, a bold statement for a prominent player at that time. In the interview, which was published my senior year in college, Simmons impressed me when he recalled the atmosphere when he first started taking classes at the University of Michigan after the baseball seasons in 1967 and 1968. Witnessing the calls on campus for social change and an end to the war in Vietnam, Simmons said:
“My first reaction was, ‘Don’t bother me with that stuff. I just want to play ball.’ But quickly I looked around and realized what was going on. All of a sudden, a new world opened up to me. It was then that I started to develop as a human being and as someone who tried to function in this world rather than someone who just tried to hit the slider.”
Thanks for providing the quote, a true testament to Simmon’s willingness and interest in growing as a person. Reminds me of Red Barber and his ability to overcome his racist upbringing, thanks in part to his interactions/friendship with Jackie Robinson.
Fantastic blog. Came here from a random 80’s Cardinals google search. Really impressed by the depth of research in the reporting, especially about some of the lesser known Card’s players. Great work!
Thank you for taking the time to read and to comment. I really appreciate it.
Mark:
I liked your piece about Orlando Cepeda. I use his story to tell the story of the AL implementing the DH in 1973. It’s one of five major storylines in my forthcoming book, “The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever.” The others are Steinbrenner buying the Yankees, Aaron chasing Ruth’s 714, Willie Mays playing his last season and passing the torch of superstardom to Reggie Jackson when the two meet in the World Series. The book is actually a reissue of “Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid,” originally published 15 years ago with one of the worst titles in history though it was a finalist for the CASEY Award. If you’re interested in writing about my book on your blog, I’d be glad to send you a digital copy. Thanks, John
Hi, John. Thanks for reaching out. The concept for your book sounds terrific. I will be a customer and will purchase a copy. I look forward to reading it, and perhaps will follow up to do a q-and-a interview. I wish you much success with it. I know how much work goes into such a project.
Thanks, Mark. I’d be happy to do a Q & A with you if you’re interested once you’ve read the book. Best, John
please send me email or contact info. thank you