T. J. Simers

{{Short description|American sports columnist (1950–2024)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

Thomas John Simers{{cite web|title=T.J. Simers Obiturary|publisher=Dignity Memorial|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/corona-del-mar-ca/tj-simers-11845010|access-date=June 14, 2024}} (September 2, 1950 – June 2, 2024) was an American sports columnist who worked for the Los Angeles Times from 1990 to 2013 before accepting a position at the Orange County Register where he worked until accepting a voluntary buyout.{{cite news |first=T.J. |last=Simers |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-xpm-2012-aug-11-la-sp-0812-simers-barkley-twitter-20120812-story.html |title=Learning from Matt Barkley has him atwitter |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 11, 2012 |access-date=August 13, 2012}} He attended Northern Illinois University.

Simers sued the Los Angeles Times for age and health discrimination, claiming he was pushed out from his $234,000-a-year job after he suffered a minor stroke. In November 2015, a jury awarded him $7.1 million.{{Cite news |last=Bonesteel |first=Matt |date=August 20, 2019 |title=Former L.A. Times sports columnist awarded $15.4 million in age-discrimination case |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/20/former-la-times-sports-columnist-awarded-million-age-discrimination-case/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |work=The Washington Post}} After the jury's ruling, the judge nevertheless dismissed the constructive termination claim but said substantial evidence supported the age and disability discrimination claims; and the judge vacated the damages award and ordered a new trial on damages.{{cite web |url=http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B269565.PDF |title=Simers v. Los Angeles Times Communications, LLC |publisher=Los Angeles County Superior Court |date=January 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108062704/http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B269565.PDF |archive-date=January 8, 2018}} The California Appeals Court affirmed the judge's ruling.

Simers also worked at The San Diego Union, the Rocky Mountain News, The Commercial Appeal, the Morristown Daily Record, the Beloit Daily News, the Coeur d'Alene Press, and the DeKalb Chronicle.{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-columnist-tsimers,0,2737037,bio.columnist |title=Bio |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815084051/http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-columnist-tsimers,0,2737037,bio.columnist |archive-date=August 15, 2009}}

He was named 2000 California Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.{{cite web |url=https://nationalsportsmedia.org/awards/state-awards/california |title=California - National Sports Media Association |website=National Sports Media Association |access-date=October 3, 2017}}

Simers died from brain cancer on June 2, 2024, at the age of 73.{{Cite news |last=Holleran |first=Andrew |date=June 2, 2024 |title=Former 'Around The Horn' Panelist Has Died At 73 |url=https://thespun.com/more/sports-media/former-around-the-horn-panelist-has-died-at-73 |access-date=2024-06-18 |work=The Spun}}{{cite news |last1=Wharton |first1=David |title=Columnist T.J. Simers, known for a confrontational style, dies |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-06-03/tj-simers-obituary-confrontational-style |access-date=June 26, 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 3, 2024}}