Ted Simmons

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Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949), nicknamed "Simba", is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Atlanta Braves. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Johnny Bench, Simmons is considered one of the best hitting catchers in MLB history. While his power numbers paled in comparison to Bench, Simmons still managed to hit for a higher batting average despite playing home games in a notoriously tough hitter's park. At the time of his retirement, Simmons led all catchers in career hits and doubles and ranked second in RBIs behind Yogi Berra and second in total bases behind Carlton Fisk. He also retired with the National League record for home runs by a switch-hitter despite playing several years in the American League. Simmons hit .300 seven different times, hit 20 home runs six times, and caught 122 shutouts, eighth-most all-time. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in December 2019, and was formally enshrined in 2021. On July 31, 2021, he was honored by the Cardinals with the retirement of his jersey number (23) along with a statue.