Joe Simmons

Joseph S. Simmons
(born Joseph S. Chabriel)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 9", Weight 166 lb.

• Debut May 8, 1871
• Final Game June 14, 1875
• Born June 13, 1845 in New York, NY USA
• Died July 24, 1901 in Jersey City, NJ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Joe Simmons appeared with four teams in the early days of major league baseball.

He was born in New York City in 1845, shortly before Alexander Cartwright invented the modern game of baseball. The book When Johnny Came Sliding Home indicates that Simmons was working as a driver in Chicago, IL in 1869 when discovered by a Rockford backer, who arranged for a job for Simmons in Rockford, IL so he could play for the Rockford team. Simmons, says the book, had previously played in New York and for the Chicago Excelsiors.

Simmons was an outfielder on the Chicago White Stockings during the first year of the National Association, in 1871. The team did well, finishing in 2nd place, while Simmons hit only .217 on a team that hit .270. Simmons was 26 years old, on a team that averaged 25 years of age.

The following year, 1872, he played for a less successful team, the Cleveland Forest Citys, hitting .256 on a team that hit .291. This time he was a first baseman. He was 27, on a team that averaged 24 years of age.

Three years later, in 1875, with the Keokuk Westerns, a team which went 1-12, he was the manager and also played outfield, hitting .170 on a team that hit .180. He was now 30, on a team whose average age was 24.

Nine years after that in 1884, he again managed a team, the Wilmington Quicksteps of the short-lived Union Association. His team went 2-16. On the day of the team's last home game, there were no fans in the stands, so Simmons decided to forfeit the game. The team then disbanded. The Quicksteps had actually started the season as a minor league team, and won the championship of their league, averaging about 400 fans per home game. The team played a number of exhibitions against major league teams looking for additional revenue. After the minor league season ended the Union Association invited them to join their league.

Simmons also worked regularly as an umpire during his career. He umpired his first game in the National Association in 1871 and worked a few more games during that league's run. He umpired two National League games in its inaugural season, 1876, then was an umpire for 46 games in the American Association in 1882.

Related Sites

• Joe Simmons at Retrosheet.org
• BR Manager page
• BR Minors page

This manager's article is missing a managerial chart. To make this person's article more complete, one should be added.