Joe Morgan

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Lore & Background

Morgan was African American and the oldest of six children. Born in Bonham, Texas, he lived there until he was five years old. His family then moved to Oakland, California. Morgan was nicknamed 'Little Joe' for his diminutive stature. As a youth, he played American Legion baseball on a team sponsored by Post 471 in Oakland. Morgan was a standout baseball player at Castlemont High School, but did not receive any offers from major league teams due to his size. He played college baseball at Oakland City College before being signed by the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent in 1962, receiving a $3,000 signing bonus and a $500 per month salary. Early in his career, Morgan struggled with his swing because he kept his back elbow down too low. Teammate Nellie Fox suggested 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 his signature. Morgan played his first nine major league seasons for the Houston Astros, compiling 72 home runs and 219 stolen bases. He was named an All-Star three times during this period, in 1966, 1969, and 1970. On June 25, 1966, Morgan was struck on the kneecap by a line drive during batting practice. The broken kneecap forced Morgan out of the lineup for 40 games, during which the Astros went 11–29. Although Morgan played with distinction for Houston, the Astros wanted more power in their lineup. Additionally, manager Harry Walker considered 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. As part of the Big Red Machine, Morgan made eight consecutive All-Star Game appearances (1972–79) to go along with his 1966, 1969, and 1970 appearances with Houston. 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. In Morgan's NL MVP years he combined for a .324 batting average, 44 home runs, 205 runs batted in, 246 bases on balls, and 127 stolen bases. Morgan returned to Houston in 1980 as a free agent on a reported contract of $255,000 for one season. He helped the young Astros win the NL West, batting .243 in 141 games while leading the league in walks with 93. The Astros then

In Their Own Story

The night of September 21, 1963, marked the beginning of Morgan's journey when he made his major league debut for the Colt .45s. He spent nearly a decade in Houston, developing into a standout player despite initial concerns about his size at Castlemont High School. The trade on November 29, 1971, announced at baseball's winter meetings, was considered a consequential deal for Cincinnati but controversial then, with many experts believing the Astros got the better end. Morgan would return to Houston in 1980 as a free agent on a reported $255,000 contract. He helped the young Astros win the NL West that year, batting .243 in 141 games while leading the league with 93 walks, though he bristled at manager Bill Virdon's decision to take him out for Rafael Landestoy in late innings.

Reader's Guide

Morgan made his major league debut on September 21, 1963. He said his debut for the Colt .45s was the highlight of his career. He played his first nine major league seasons for the Houston Astros. On November 29, 1971, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. With the Reds, he won consecutive World Series championships in 1975 and 1976 and was named National League MVP both years. He returned to Houston as a free agent in 1980. He later played for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics. After retiring, Morgan became a baseball broadcaster for the Reds, Giants, ABC, and ESPN, as well as a stint in the mid-to-late 1990s on NBC's postseason telecasts. He hosted a weekly nationally syndicated radio show on Sports USA, while serving as a special advisor to the Reds. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 with more than 81% of the vote, entering together with Jim Palmer, both in their first year of eligibility. In 2017, Morgan wrote a letter to the Hall of Fame in which he asked that players who had cheated by using performance-enhancing steroids not be elected into the Hall. After his career ended, Morgan was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1987, and his jersey number 8 was retired. The Reds dedicated a statue for Morgan at Great American Ball Park in 2013.

Did You Know?

• Morgan was nicknamed 'Little Joe' for his diminutive stature.
• He flapped his back arm like a chicken at the plate, a suggestion from teammate Nellie Fox to keep his elbow up.
• Morgan was the first second baseman in National League history to win the MVP award back to back.
• He was struck on the kneecap by a line drive during batting practice on June 25, 1966, breaking his kneecap and missing 40 games.
• Morgan collected a double in his final at-bat on September 30, 1984.