BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY Joe Leonard Morgan born September 19, 1943 is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros,Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Serieschampionships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in those years. Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time, Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. He became a baseball broadcaster for ESPN after his retirement, and now hosts a weekly nationally syndicated radio show for Sports USA. He is currently a special adviser to the Reds.
Raised in Oakland, California, and nicknamed "Little Joe" for his diminutive 5'7" stature, Morgan was a standout at Castlemont High Schoolbefore being signed by the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent in 1962.Playing career
Houston Colt .45s/Astros
Early in his career, Morgan had trouble with his swing because he kept his back elbow down too low. Teammate Nellie Fox (also a stocky second baseman) suggested to Morgan that while at the plate he should flap his back arm like a chicken to keep his elbow up. Morgan followed the advice, and his flapping arm became a familiar sight to baseball fans.
Morgan played ten seasons for Houston, compiling 72 home runs and 219 stolen bases. He made the All Star Team twice during this period, in 1966 and 1970. On June 25, 1966, Morgan was struck on the kneecap by a line drive (hit by Lee May) during batting practice.The broken kneecap forced Morgan out of the lineup for 40 games, during which the Astros went 11-29 (for a .275 winning percentage).
Although Morgan played with distinction for Houston, the Astros wanted more power in their lineup. Additionally, manager Harry Walkerconsidered Morgan a troublemaker. As a result they traded Morgan to the Cincinnati Reds as part of a blockbuster multi-player deal on November 29, 1971, announced at baseball's winter meetings.
Cincinnati Reds
To this day the trade is considered an epoch-making deal for Cincinnati and one of the worst trades in Astros' history. Power-hitting Lee May, All-Star second baseman Tommy Helms, and outfielder/pinch hitter Jimmy Stewart went to the Astros. In addition to Morgan, included in the deal to the Reds were César Gerónimo (who became their regular center fielder) and pitcher Jack Billingham (who soon joined the Reds pitching rotation as a leading starter), veteran infielder Denis Menke, and minor league outfielder Ed Armbrister. The deal facilitated a shift in Reds team philosophy towards speed over power, with Morgan and outfielder Pete Rose now two key figures batting back-to-back. Morgan added unusual home run power (at that time) for a second baseman to outstanding speed on the basepaths and excellent defense.
After joining The Big Red Machine, Morgan's career reached a new level. This included eight consecutive All-Star Game appearances (1972–1979) to go along with his 1966 and 1970 appearances with Houston.
Morgan, along with teammates Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Pérez, and Dave Concepción, led the Reds to consecutive championships in the World Series. He drove in Ken Griffey for the winning run in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series. Morgan was also the National League MVP in 1975 and 1976. He was the first second baseman in the history of the National League to win the MVP back to back.
Morgan was an extremely capable batter—especially in clutch situations. While his lifetime average was only .271, he hit between .288 and .327 during his peak years with the Reds. Additionally, he drew many walks, resulting in an excellent .392 on-base percentage. He also hit 268 home runs to go with 449 doubles and 96 triples, excellent power for a middle infielder of his era, and was considered by some the finest base stealer of his generation (689 steals at greater than 80% success rate). Besides his prowess at the plate and on the bases, Morgan was an exceptional infielder, winning the Gold Glove Award in consecutive years from 1973 to 1977.
Later career
Morgan returned to Houston in 1980 to help the young Astros win the NL West. The Astros then lost the National League Championship Series to thePhiladelphia Phillies.
Morgan went to the San Francisco Giants for the next two seasons. His home run in the last game of the 1982 season eliminated the Dodgers from the division race. He won the 1982 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership.
He then went to the Phillies, where he rejoined ex-teammates Pete Rose and Tony Pérez. After losing to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, Morgan finished his career with the Oakland Athletics.
Legacy
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| Joe Morgan's number 8 wasretired by theCincinnati Redsin 1987. |
After his career ended, Morgan was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1987, and his jersey number 8 was retired. He threw out the first pitch at the Reds' first spring training game at Goodyear Ballpark on March 5, 2010.
In the New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James named Morgan the best second baseman in baseball history, ahead of #2 Eddie Collins and #3 Rogers Hornsby. He also named Morgan as the "greatest percentages player in baseball history," due to his strong fielding percentage, stolen base percentage, walk-to-strikeout ratio, and walks per plate appearance. The statement was included with the caveat that many players in baseball history could not be included in the formula due to lack of data.
In 1999 Morgan ranked Number 60 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Morgan currently serves as a member of the board of the Baseball Assistance Team, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical hardships.
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