Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan died Sunday at the age of 77.
The “sparkplug of the Big Red Machine” died in his Danville, California, home, family spokesman James Davis said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. Morgan suffered from a form of polyneuropathy.
Known for his short stature and an iconic left-elbow flap, Morgan was a two-time NL Most Valuable Player, a 10-time All-Star, and won five Gold Gloves. As a player for the Cincinnati Reds, he helped bring the team back-to-back World Series championships. Both years, he was the league’s MVP.
“He was just a good major league player when it didn’t mean anything,” former Reds and Tigers skipper Sparky Anderson once said. “But when it meant something, he was a Hall of Famer.”
Through his entire career, which spanned 22 years, Morgan scored 1,650 runs, stole 689 bases, hit 268 homers, and batted .271. Morgan retired in 1984.
Morgan’s career started in 1963 in Houston playing for the .45s, who later became the Astros. Cincinnati traded for Morgan after the 1971 season, trading Lee May and Tommy Helms as part of an eight-player swap.
Earlier this year, MLB.com gave Morgan’s 1976 season honorable mention for the best second-base player in the history of Major League Baseball.
The Reds tweeted that the team was “heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Joe Morgan.”
The Reds are heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Joe Morgan. pic.twitter.com/zBoQ2gHZys
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) October 12, 2020
“Joe was a giant in the game and was adored by the fans in this city,” said CEO Bob Castellini. “He had a lifelong loyalty and dedication to this organization that extended to our current team and front office staff. As a cornerstone on one of the greatest teams in baseball history, his contributions to this franchise will live forever.”
