Ralph Simon (Iowa)

Inducted 2017

Historic Era Player: Ralph was 56 when he began to pitch on a regular basis. He then joined the NHPA and began pitching tournaments nearly every weekend. He pitched his first World Tournament (WT) in 1978 and most notably defeated defending World Champion, Elmer Hohl. He was the highest qualifier at the 1979 World Tournament pitching 560 points in his 200-shoe qualifying round. He was 25-6 that year and threw an 80.68% average placing 3rd. He threw his first 90% game that year, an outstanding 91.6%. In the 1980 WT he began by winning his first 24 games, ended with 26-5, which left him in a tie for 2nd place. In 1981, he advanced to the Championship round and went 16-7 in the Championship round, throwing 81.24% and placing 4th. He won the Iowa State Men's Championship 3 times. Ralph was inducted into the Iowa Hawkeye Horseshoe Pitching Association's Hall of Fame in 1984.