Jack Morris

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Lore & Background

In 1991, Morris signed a one-year contract with his hometown Minnesota Twins. He enjoyed another great season, posting 18 wins with a 3.43 ERA, and an even better postseason after Minnesota won the AL West. Morris won both of his starts over the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, and his team went on to face the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. Morris started for the Twins three times in the series, going 2–0 with a 1.17 ERA, making his final outing in the deciding Game 7. In a postseason performance for the ages, the 36-year-old hurler threw 10 innings of shutout baseball against the Braves, as the Twins won the game 1–0 on a 10th-inning single by Gene Larkin that scored Dan Gladden. Morris was named the World Series MVP for his performance, and joined fellow pitcher Sandy Koufax as the only players to win the Babe Ruth Award twice. He holds the record for most wins by a Twin in a single postseason, with four in 1991.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere inside the Metrodome was electric during the tenth inning of Game Seven of the 1991 World Series. The Minnesota Twins trailed no one, but the tension was palpable as Morris took the mound for his third start of the series. At 36 years old, he faced a Braves lineup that had threatened to score throughout the game. Morris held them off, pitching deep into extra innings with grit and determination. He retired the side in the tenth, sealing a 1–0 victory. The final out was recorded as Gene Larkin crossed home plate after his single. This moment defined Morris's time in Minnesota, earning him the World Series MVP award and joining Sandy Koufax as the only players to win the Babe Ruth Award twice.

Reader's Guide

Following the 1991 season, Morris signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. In the 1992 season, he earned 21 wins for the second time in his career (the first ever 20-win season for a Blue Jays pitcher) with only six losses, though he rode a wave of superior run support from his offense, given his 4.04 ERA that year. The Blue Jays reached the 1992 World Series against the Braves. Despite a subpar post-season performance (he went 0–3, including two World Series losses), Morris won a third World Series ring as Toronto beat Atlanta in six games. He won a fourth ring in 1993, as the Blue Jays repeated as World Champions with a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. However, Morris was not a factor in the Blue Jays World Series repeat: he pitched poorly for the team in the regular season, finishing 7–12 with a 6.19 ERA, and was not used at all in the postseason due to a season-ending injury.

Did You Know?

• Morris is one of ten players in MLB history to have won back-to-back World Series championships on different teams.
• He holds the major league record for consecutive opening day starts, with 14 (1980–1993).
• Morris has the highest career ERA among pitchers in the Hall of Fame.
• He is the only pitcher with 2,000-plus strikeouts who did not face a single pitcher in his career.