Joe Morgan, Hall of Famer and Reds legend, dies at 77

[Faygo Kid]

Source: NY Daily News

Joe Morgan, the Hall of Fame second baseman who played most notably for the Reds has died. He was 77.

After his legendary career in the majors, Morgan went on to become a top-notch baseball broadcaster for ESPN.

Over the course of Morgan’s 22-season major league career, he was a 10-time All-Star, a two-time MVP and a two-time World Series champion with the Reds. He also won five Gold Gloves a Silver Slugger and two-consecutive Major League Player of the year awards.

News of Morgan’s death sent more shock waves through the baseball world still mourning the other Hall of Famers who died this year — including Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson and Whitey Ford.

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/ny-joe-morgan-dies-20201012-bgny6wmacnevfariexhtenhomm-story.html?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=notification&utm_campaign=2020-10-12-Joe-Morgan-dies

---

Tough year for baseball greats from my youth. Also many others, including my personal hero, Al Kaline.

[Botany]

1. Damn

Joe was one of the good ones.

Link to tweet

[idziak4ever1234]

2. 77? My God, time flies.

I still see the stars I followed as a kid the way they looked when they were playing. It is hard for me to get my head around the idea that they are actually older now. Maybe that is just me.

[dameatball]

3. Never liked the "Big Red Machine" but credit where due. That was a murderer's row and some of the

greatest teams ever. Rose, Morgan, Bench, Perez, Foster, et al. Yikes!

[brush]

5. That was a great team. Have to include Griffey Sr., Conception...

and Geronimo too. And I'm not a Reds fan.

[mobeau69]

8. Swept the Yankees in WS four straight.

[malthaussen]

7. Lousy pitching, though.

Well, "lousy" may be too harsh. "Unexceptional," shall we say.
Even when Seaver pitched for them he was past his prime.

-- Mal

[dameatball]

9. Only one I remember was Norman.

[mobeau69]

11. If they would have had pitching like LA or the A's in that era

they would’ve been nearly unbeatable!

[malthaussen]

12. In fairness, with that park...

... they couldn't have had pitching like LA or the As. One of the better hitter's parks in the league, not so good for the man on the mound.

-- Mal

[maxsolomon]

14. Ahh, you're bringing back memories of Vida Blue.

The Reds traded for him in 1972; Bowie Kuhn nixed the trade as it would hurt "competitiveness" in the league.

I was 7 or 8. I remember Cincinnati being really pissed off, meaning my Grampa was.

[mobeau69]

23. Blue Moon Odin and Catfish Hunter too!

[Botany]

15. Pedro Bourbon and Don Gullett were very good

And don't forget the great Sparky Anderson.

[maxsolomon]

18. Pedro Bourbon!

I think his name made an appearance in the internal monologue of the hero in Airplane! (the movie with Leslie Neilsen)..

[malthaussen]

19. Well, in a short career, Gullet was 5th and 7th for the Cy Young...

... excellent W-L percentage, but then, he was pitching for the Reds. Borbon was a workhorse reliever typical of the era (in '72 he pitched almost as many innings as Gullett!), also a good W-L percentage, but I didn't like his ratio of BB/K, and he gave up more than a hit an inning. I'd say "good," not "very good," but that's really just quibbling.

-- Mal

[mobeau69]

22. "The Vampire".

[aggiesal]

27. Reminds me of a trivia question ...

In the history of all baseball, who is the only pitcher to throw the first pitch in Game 1 of the World Series in consecutive years?

This has only happened once to this date.
Remember that in the past the home team for the World Series alternated every year.
To throw the first pitch in consecutive seasons, you'd have to play in one league the first year then the other league the following year.

When the home team was determined by the All-Star winning league, it was a lot easier to accomplish this, but it still never happened again.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
As far as Joe Morgan goes, 2020 really sucks.
All the Hall of Fame members dying recently, is just bad & sad.

RIP Joe Morgan, it was fun watching you play while growing up.

[Aerator]

17. 75-76 Reds had 5 players bat over 300

I’m not sure how many teams had 5 players finish the season with a batting average over 300 but the Reds did 2 years in a row .

[Clash City Rocker]

4. Great baseball players are dying left and right

Bob Gibson, Whitey Ford, now Joe. Joe seemed like one of the smartest players in the game...I thought he was a great announcer, and obviously he was an amazing player. RIP.

[malthaussen]

10. Bill James tried to develop a stat for "basedball brains,"

... largely based on the number of defensive plays a player could be expected to make, given various tendencies of pitchers, hitters, parks, and eras. The players who got to most of the plays they should, and made a fair number of plays they wouldn't be expected to, were credited with better "baseball brains," anticipating where the ball would be hit and being in position to make the play. Mr Morgan did, indeed, rank very high according to these criteria.

-- Mal

[whistler162]

34. The 2020 list

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/baseball_deaths.php?y=2020

[malthaussen]

6. There's the answer to that question "who's next?" n/t

[iluvtennis]

13. ...

Rest in Peace Joe Morgan

[maxsolomon]

16. RIP to a childhood hero.

I was lucky enough to be a Cincy kid through the Big Red Machine's peak of 1975 & 1976. Joe Morgan was phenomenally good.

[mobeau69]

24. I was a Reds fan and an IU basketball fan. LOL.

Those were fun days if you liked wins.

[malthaussen]

20. In terms of Runs Created, in the top five 2nd basemen of all time. n/t

[world wide wally]

21. Loved him as a layer and as an announcer.

RIP, Joe

[OldManTarHeel]

25. When I think of Joe Morgan, I remember his 'chicken wing' batting style

RIP Joe Morgan

[maxsolomon]

26. We used to imitate it when we played whiffle ball.

He knew what he was doing!

[OldManTarHeel]

29. Yes He did . . !

[kairos12]

28. My hands down favorite all-time ballplayer.

[El Supremo]

30. 17 years ago today I met Joe Morgan.

He was with Jon Miller at the entrance to Fenway Park for the ALCS with the Yankees. I'll never forget it.

[Mr. Ected]

31. I remember mimicking his arm pump at the plate when I was a kid

He pumped his right elbow to his midriff while the pitcher was winding up. For some reason, I thought that was funny.

I was totally in awe of the Big Red Machine in those days. Johnny Bench was actually my favorite, but Joe Morgan was memorable.

In retrospect, those were great times.

[yuiyoshida]

32. Joe Morgan was in the Press box when Barry Bonds hit his 73rd Home Run

[jalan48]

33. One of the best baseball analysts of all time as well. nt

[pecosbob]

35. I recall being crushed when the Astros traded him to the Reds

He was a hero of mine as a child. His pre-swing arm pump made him unique at the plate.