“Joe Morgan was quite simply the best baseball player I played against or saw.” – Johnny Bench |
Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time
Joe Leonard Morgan (September 19, 1943 – October 11, 2020) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played Major League Baseball (MLB) 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 (MVP) in each of those years.
Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time, Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
After retiring as an active player, Morgan became a baseball broadcaster for the Reds, Giants, and ESPN, as well as a stint in the mid-to-late ’90’s on NBC’s post-season telecasts, teamed with Bob Costas and Bob Uecker. He hosted a weekly nationally syndicated radio show on Sports USA, while serving as a special advisor to the Reds. Read more.
Oct 12, 2020
ESPN – Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, a key member of the Cincinnati Reds’ famed Big Red Machine, died Sunday. He was 77.
Morgan died Sunday at his home in Danville, California, family spokesman James Davis said in a statement Monday.
Morgan struggled with various health issues in recent years, including a nerve condition, a form of polyneuropathy.
Morgan was a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, a 10-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove Award winner. He is widely regarded as one of the best second basemen in baseball history, and he gained renown for his 25-plus years as a broadcaster after his playing career.
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the death of Joe Morgan, one of the best five-tool players our game has ever known and a symbol of all-around excellence,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Joe often reminded baseball fans that the player smallest in stature on the field could be the most impactful.”
Morgan spent the majority of his 22-year career with the Reds and the Houston Astros franchise. Along with Pete Rose and fellow Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, Morgan helped the Reds win back-to-back World Series championships in 1975 and 1976.
Cincinnati also reached the World Series in 1972, Morgan’s first year with the Reds.
“Joe Morgan was quite simply the best baseball player I played against or saw,” Bench texted to The Associated Press.
Morgan was the NL MVP in 1975 and 1976 and was named an All-Star in each of his eight seasons with the Reds. He was a .271 career hitter, with 268 home runs, 1,133 RBIs, 1,650 runs scored and 689 stolen bases, 11th in baseball history.
There were moments of silence held at Petco Park in San Diego before the Tampa Bay Rays and Astros played Monday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series … Read more.
RECENTLY ON HEADLINE HEALTH:
Whitey Ford Dies Of Alzheimer’s
New Baseball Rules (Try Not To Laugh)
Manager Faulted in 1986 Red Sox WS Debacle Dies at 88
ALSO ON HEADLINE HEALTH TODAY: Fauci Speaking Out Against Trump | Vitamin May Stop Covid | How Long Does It Take To Get Over Covid?
