Silas Simmons was born in 1895, the same year as Babe Ruth and Rudolph Valentino. He played at the highest level of black baseball while Satchel Paige was in grade school.
Simmons' career as a pitcher-outfielder predated the formal creation of the Negro leagues.
And he is living today in a nursing home in St. Petersburg, Fla.
That last fact was unknown to baseball historians until this summer, when a genealogist living near the nursing home notified a Negro leagues expert. Simmons, who turns 111 on Oct. 14, is believed to be the oldest living person to have played professional baseball.
A recent New York Times article said Simmons began his pro career "about 1912" and played until 1929 for a variety of teams in Pennsylvania and New York, including the Homestead Grays, the Germantown Blue Ribbons and the New York Lincoln Giants.
Simmons remains an avid baseball fan, watching Tampa Bay Devil Rays games on television and attended a game at Tropicana Field this summer with his church group.
"I like young players," said Simmons, who will celebrate his 111th birthday next month with 30 or 40 former Negro leaguers, including Hall of Fame member Monte Irvin.
