(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Andrelton Simmons in Hall of Fame Western Oklahoma State College
Nederlands
 ALTUS, Oklahoma (USA) -
Andrelton Simmons is elected into the Western Oklahoma State College Alumni Hall of Fame.
The election was announced by the Western Oklahoma State College Alumni Association on January 16 and he was the only member in the Class of 2016.
...Andrelton Simmons playing for the Netherlands...
...Team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
On Friday (January 29), the Curaçao-born Simmons officially became a member of the school's Hall of Fame during a baseball themed dinner at the Multipurpose Center at WOSC, which was hosted by the Alumni Association.
During the induction ceremony, the career of Simmons was highlighted.
The WOSC Alumni Association elects a new member each year since 1996 into its Hall of Fame.
Eligible for the Hall of Fame are former students and persons who worked at the school or have been associated with the school in another way.
Simmons is the 22nd person to be elected and only the seventh athlete.
Following Terry Bailey (1999) and Retired USAF Brigadier General R. Kim Hunter, Simmons is the third baseball-player in the Hall of Fame.
The other athletes played basketball (two), American football and rodeo.
Earlier last week, former Major Leaguer, current San Francisco Giants Hitting Coach, former Netherlands Team-player and current Manager of the Netherlands Kingdom Team, Hensley Meulens was elected into the International League Hall of Fame (Triple-A).
In 2011, former Major League-pitcher Bert Blyleven was the first Dutch baseball-player to be elected into a Hall of Fame, as he was elected for the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Major League).
In 2013, Simmons played for the Netherlands Kingdom Team that was managed by Meulens and reached the semi-final of the World Baseball Classic.
Blyleven then was the Pitching Coach of the team.
The 26-year old Simmons played for the Pioneers, the baseball-team of Western Oklahoma State College in 2009 and 2010.
The team plays in the Bi-State Conference (or Region II) of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and was the Plains District Champion in both years.
As Region II-champions, the team played in the World Series Qualifier in 2009, then reached the championship tournament in 2010, finishing in third place.
In 2010, Simmons played in 38 games for the Western Oklahoma Pioneers and finished the season with a .472 batting average (59-for-125) with 16 doubles and seven homeruns, while scoring 46 runs and batting in 40.
Simmons also was used frequently as a pitcher in that year and was 1-1 with one save.
With his .472 average, Simmons shared the team's lead with Randolph Oduber.
The Aruban played in 58 games, collected 94 basehits, including 26 homeruns, scored 85 runs and batted in 78.
Both Simmons and Oduber went on the play professionally and in the Netherlands Kingdom Team.
In 2009, Oduber had batted himself in the national recordbooks of the NJCAA.
With 98 RBI's, he tied the NJCAA Division II single season-record, which he shares with Larry Gempp, Jr. (College of Lake County, 2004) and Juan Carlos Perez (Western Oklahoma, 2008).
Oduber's 32 homeruns in 2010 were the second highest total all-time.
While attending WOSC, Simmons was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the amateur draft in 2010.
On June 9 of that year, he signed a contract with the Braves and made his professional debut shortly thereafter, playing the Rookie League-team.
Simmons climbed to Double-A in 2012, then made his Major League-debut on June 2 of that year.
He became the regular short stop of the Braves in 2013 and played three full seasons for the team.
In his four Major League-seasons with the Braves, Simmons played in 499 games, hitting .256 with 31 homeruns and 168 runs batted in.
His defensive is generally acknowledged as outstanding.
In 2310 chances, he committed only 39 errors.
Simmons won two Gold Gloves (2013, 2014) and one Rawlings Platina Glove (2013).
Last year, he again was a Gold Glove-finalist.
In November of last year, Simmons was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Simmons and Oduber are not the only Antillian baseball players, who attended Western Oklahoma State College.
In 2011, pitchers Tony Kelly (Aruba) and Kevin Kelly (Curaçao) played for the team.
The latter currently plays in the Dutch big league for Curaçao Neptunus.
In 2012 and 2013, Sherman Lacrus was a member of the team and in 2013 Sicnarf Loopstok also played for Western Oklahoma.
Catcher/outfielder Lacrus is playing in the organisation of the Texas Rangers since 2013 and played in Single-A and Double-A last year.
Catcher/first baseman Loopstok also plays professionally since 2013 for the Cleveland Indians and last year played in Single-A.
(January 30)
Related Articles:
 Hensley Meulens elected into Triple-A Hall of Fame! (January 26, 2016)
Andrelton Simmons traded to Angels by Braves! (November 12, 2015)
Bogaerts, Gregorius, Simmons finalists Gold Glove Awards. (October 29, 2015)
Andrelton Simmons again wins Gold Glove Award! (November 4, 2014)
Andrelton Simmons hits grand slam homerun! (June 11, 2014)
Platinum Glove Award for Andrelton Simmons. (November 9, 2013)
Andrelton Simmons captures NL-East title with Braves. (September 22, 2013)
Simmons opens season in Majors; Profar in Minors. (April 1, 2013)
Bert Blyleven inducted into Hall of Fame. (July 24, 2011)
Bert Blyleven elected into Baseball Hall of Fame! (January 5, 2011)
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