Joe Morgan | |||
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Morgan with the Reds
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Second baseman | |||
Born: Bonham, Texas |
September 19, 1943 |||
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MLB debut | |||
September 21, 1963, for the Houston Colt .45s | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 30, 1984, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .271 | ||
Hits | 2,517 | ||
Home runs | 268 | ||
Runs batted in | 1,133 | ||
Stolen bases | 689 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Member of the National | |||
Baseball Hall of Fame | |||
Inducted | 1990 | ||
Vote | 81.8% (first ballot) |
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 Series championships 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.
Born in Bonham, Texas, and raised in Oakland, California, Morgan was nicknamed "Little Joe" for his diminutive 5'7" stature. He was a standout at Castlemont High School before being signed by the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent in 1962.
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).