Lon Simmons, a longtime San Francisco 49ers and San Francisco Giants broadcaster, passed away Sunday morning at age 91, the Giants said.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Simmons called 49ers games from 1957 through 1980 and from 1987 through 1988. His final season with the club came as San Francisco captured Super Bowl XXIII against Cincinnati.
As the Mercury News notes, Simmons happened to be on the call when Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall made his infamous wrong-way dash vs. the 49ers in 1964. Marshall, thinking he was off to the races for a touchdown, instead scored a safety for San Francisco.
Simmons is also remembered for his call of Steve Young’s weaving TD run vs. Minnesota in 1988. (A hat tip to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle for pointing this out.)
Simmons was honored with the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting achievement from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.