Phil Simon

Sportswriters and fans considered Phil Simon the consummate athlete. Phil was a dominating sports figure in Elizabeth for over 24 years, 1915-1939. Phil was New Jersey State boxing champion in grade school at the age of 14; winner of 14 High School varsity letters; All State honors in football, basketball, and baseball; AAU singles handball champion; and handball doubles champion, with his partner Jimmy Ross, for nine consecutive years.

Born in 1901, Phil lived his whole life in the City of Elizabeth. Then tragedy struck in 1968 when he passed away at age 67 from complications of a prostate problem. Upon his passing, the Elizabeth Daily Journal hailed Phil as “perhaps the greatest all-around athlete ever produced in Elizabeth.” The Journal added, “Simon excelled at anything and everything in athletics, doing so in all modesty, ‘Never saw an athlete like him’…’he was the greatest of them all’…’the best,’ came replies from those who played with or against him or just saw him play.” Simon gained All State fame at Battin High School: All State honors in football (fullback), All State in basketball (guard), and All State in baseball (catcher). Phil also received two varsity letters in track and field for a total of 14 B’s, when he graduated in 1921. He threw the shot-put and discus between catching baseball games.”

Al McCloskey, Phil’s boxing coach wrote, “This kid Simon is the greatest all-around athlete ever produced in Elizabeth. He is an athletic marvel. Just try to get it into your skull that at the age of 14 and weighing only 135 pounds, this youngster took on heavyweights weighing in the neighborhood of 185 and 190 pounds and knocked them colder than a Harlem flat.” At the age of 14, Phil won the New Jersey State Amateur Boxing Championship.

G.A. Falzar, the man who selected the all-star scholastic football team in New Jersey for Spalding’s Guide, and whose choices were accepted by the Interscholastic Athletic Association is quoted as having named, “Phil Simon, as not only one of the greatest plunging backs of the season in New Jersey, but one of the most formidable players of all time in this State.”

Walter J. Bostock, sportswriter, reported that for Battin basketball, Phil “was a one man team.” Herb Jaffe, sportswriter quoted Jack Cotter, a fan, “I would rate Phil Simon as the finest basketball player I have ever seen.”

Four years saw Phil catching for Battin’s baseball team, and in 1920 Phil led Battin’s batting with .536, and at one point scouring nine consecutive hits: a home run, and double and two singles, and then 5 for 5.

Chris Zusi, sportswriter writing about Phil’s greatness in handball, “Phil Simon stole the show at the “Y’s” annual athletic event defeating Jack Londin of the Trinity Club, the National A.A.U. singles handball champion.” On two other nights, Phil defeated Jack Wildman, YMCA and AAU indoor one-wall champion. And or nine years, 1929 through 1938, Phil and Jimmy Ross could not be beaten, winning consecutive handball doubles championships, retiring undefeated.

Jerry Byrd sums it up in his “Byrd’s Eye View” column regarding the question of Elizabeth’s greatest all-around athlete. He was quoting Allan Trimble, who upon rating the respective merits of Elizabeth’s famous athletes, past and present, he said, “Trimble named the one whom he regarded as the greatest, ‘The winner – none other than Phil Simon.”

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