Tex Simone’s passion for baseball helped him build a successful minor league baseball franchise in Syracuse and became a local institution. Simone, an all-city player in both baseball and basketball at North High School, began his career with the Syracuse Chiefs in 1961 working with the grounds crew at Macarthur Stadium. During his first season he was named the team's trainer and traveling secretary. He continued to move up the ladder within the organization and was named the team’s business manager and public relations director in 1967.

Simone, an Army veteran, was promoted to general manager in 1970, a position he held for 27 years. During that time he won four IL Executive of the Year Awards running the Chiefs.

In 1997, Simone became the team’s Chief Operating Officer and helped debut a new Northside home for the Chiefs, P&C Stadium (later renamed Alliance Bank Stadium). The stadium is located on Tex Simone Drive in honor of the individual who devoted his life to baseball and his community. He was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2008.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1950-1953: Served with the U.S. Army’s 354th Engineer Battalion in Korean conflict

1961: Worked with Syracuse Chiefs, serving as grounds crew, clubhouse manager, trainer and traveling secretary

1967: Became Chiefs business manager and public relations director

1970: Became Chiefs general manager

1978-present: Serves on International League Financial Committee

1979: Received the Syracuse Mayor’s Achievement Award

1985: Received Genesee Classic Achievement Award; Received Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce Community Citizen Award

1987: Received John H. Johnson President’s Trophy, the highest honor to a minor league franchise

1990: Received Joseph J. Pietrafesa Columbus Day Award

1991-present: Member of the expansion committee for professional baseball

1998-present: Serves as Vice-President of the International League

2000: Received the Blind Men and Criers annual “Edward J Kearney Award”

2001: Inducted into the Syracuse Baseball Wall of Fame

2006: Received LeMoyne College's Rev. Vincent B. Ryan, S.J. Dolphin Award

2008: Inducted into the International League Hall of Fame

Board member and one of the founders of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame