Duke Simpson

{{Short description|American baseball player (1927–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Duke Simpson |position=Pitcher |image= |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date|1927|9|15}} |birth_place=Columbus, Ohio |death_date= {{death date and age|2021|2|7|1927|9|15}} |death_place= Folsom, California |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=May 6 |debutyear=1953 |debutteam=Chicago Cubs |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 17 |finalyear=1953 |finalteam=Chicago Cubs |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Win–loss record |stat1value=1–2 |stat2label=Earned run average |stat2value=8.00 |stat3label=Strikeouts |stat3value=21 |teams= *Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1953}}) }} '''Thomas Leo "Duke" Simpson''' (September 15, 1927 – February 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, Simpson had a seven-year (1948–1954) career, which included a full, 1953 season in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs. He stood {{convert|6|ft|1|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|190|lb}}.

==Biography== Simpson was born in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Notre Dame but after only one semester, joined the United States Army in 1945 during the waning days of World War II.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gagnon |first1=Cappy |title=Notre Dame Baseball Greats from Anson to Yaz |location=Charleston, South Carolina |publisher=Tempus Publishing |year=2004 |page=104 |isbn=978-0738532622}}</ref> After completing his military service, Simpson enrolled at Ohio State before joining the professional baseball ranks. He pitched in the Philadelphia Athletics' system and was acquired by the Cubs in 1952.

In 1953, Simpson made the Cubs' MLB roster coming out of spring training and remained a member of their pitching staff all season, working in 30 games, 29 in relief. In his only start, he failed to record an out on September 2 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field, yielding five runs, all earned, and four hits, including a three-run home run by Preston Ward. Simpson took the loss in that 8–1 Cub defeat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1953/B09020PIT1953.htm |date=1953-09-02 |title=Pittsburgh Pirates 8, Chicago Cubs 1 |publisher=Retrosheet |access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> One week later, against the Pirates at Wrigley Field, he won his only MLB game. Simpson entered the game in the ninth inning with the Cubs trailing, 7–5, and worked a perfect 1-2-3 frame. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Cub slugger Ralph Kiner hit a three-run walk-off home run against his old Pirate mates to give Simpson the 8–7 win.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1953/B09090CHN1953.htm |date=1953-09-09 |title=Chicago Cubs 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 7 |publisher=Retrosheet |access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref> Altogether, Simpson allowed 60 hits and 25 bases on balls in 45 MLB innings pitched, striking out 21.

Simpson died February 7, 2021, from Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="SABR">{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/tom-simpson/ |title=Tom Simpson |first1=Bill |last1=Nowlin |work=SABR |publisher=Society of American Baseball Research |access-date=February 18, 2021}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb=122260 |espn= |br=s/simpsdu01 |fangraphs= |brm=simpso002tho |retro=S/Psimpd101}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Duke}} Category:1927 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Baseball players from Columbus, Ohio Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball players Category:Chicago Cubs players Category:Goldsboro Goldbugs players Category:Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Military personnel from Ohio Category:Savannah Indians players Category:Springfield Cubs players Category:Temple Eagles players Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in California Category:United States Army personnel of World War II Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Burials at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery