Hi Simmons

John Carl "Hi" Simmons (August 16, 1905 – January 12, 1995) was the head baseball coach at the University of Missouri from 1937 until 1973.

Early life and education Simmons was born in Lancaster, Missouri, the son of Oliver H. Simmons and Etta Leedom Simmons. He graduated from Kirksville State College (now Truman State University).

Coaching career During Simmons' tenure as baseball coach, Missouri won one national championship, finished runner-up three other times, appeared in six College World Series and won 11 conference titles. Simmons' Missouri team won the 1954 College World Series and finished as runners-up in 1952, 1958 and 1964. He was named college baseball coach of the year in 1954 by the Rockne Club. under Don Faurot. He was honored by the Missouri alumni in 1962, and inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1977, the University of Missouri Hall of Fame in 1990, and is also a member of the ABCA Hall of Fame.

Death and legacy Simmons married Frances Janet Vlcek in 1939, and had three sons. His larynx was removed by surgery to treat cancer in 1979. He died in 1995, at the age of 89, at his home in Columbia, Missouri. The field at Taylor Stadium is named Simmons Field in his honor.

Head coaching record