Former Los Angeles Times sports columnist TJ Simmers has died at the age of 73. According to Lance Pugmire of boxingscene.com:.
Simmers had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. According to Awful Announcement.
“Longtime @latimes sports editor Bill Dwyer just let me know that legendary columnist TJ Simmers has passed away,” Pugmire posted to X. “Rest in peace, TJ. Thank you for all you have done to lift my spirits. And sending love and prayers to your beautiful family, my dear friend!”
Simmers joined the Los Angeles Times in 1990 and became a columnist a decade later. According to the newspaperHe stayed with the paper for 23 years and emerged as one of its most prominent commentators.
The paper said he resigned from the paper in 2013 after being demoted and eventually sued it for age and disability discrimination.
Simmers claims that his once-praised work has suddenly come under scrutiny since he suffered a mild stroke in 2013 and was subsequently diagnosed with complex migraine syndrome.
His column brought in $234,000 a year, but he was suspended in June 2013 for what the paper considered ethical violations after it cut its publication days from three to two and said the column was “poorly written or reflected poorly on the paper,” according to the article. He was later demoted to reporter.
Simmers resigned in September 2013 and went to work for the Orange County Register before retiring in 2014. Terrible announcement.
He initially won the lawsuit for $7.13 million, but Terrible announcementBut after the newspaper appealed the ruling, he Winning $15.5 million in prize money.
A Los Angeles judge overturned the sentence in December 2019, calling it “excessive.” Associated Pressordered a new trial.
Simmers also made history by performing on the first “Around the Horn.” According to ESPN vice president of communications Bill Hofheimer,.
He was removed from the rotating panel following critical comments made about the show.
Fellow authors have had kind words to say about X.
Author and former Sports Illustrated reporter Posted by Jeff Pearlman“TJ appeared on my podcast last year and I grew to both respect and hate him. Truly a unique person, full of quirks. Rest in peace.”
Former San Diego Union-Tribune Sports Editor Jay Posner writes:: “It’s a sad day that the legendary TJ Simmers has passed away. He wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but his writing is compelling to read. More importantly, he was devoted to his wife, two daughters, four granddaughters, and of course Bagger. He was also a good friend from whom I learned so much. Rest in Peace.”
