Standout second baseman and two-time MVP player Joe Morgan died at his Danville home on Sunday, his family confirmed to the Associated Press. Morgan was 77.
The Bay Area native and mainstay of the Cincinnati Reds’ championship teams of the 1970s went on to a career as a sportscaster following his career in baseball. He had been suffering from a form of polyneuropathy, a nerve condition, in recent years.
The Oakland native and Castlemont High School athletic standout rose to national prominence during eight seasons playing for the Reds, a career that included two World Series titles and National League Most Valuable Player awards in 1975 and 1976.
Morgan also played for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland Athletics during his 22-year major league career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Morgan stayed close to his sport for almost 30 more years as a broadcaster. He is survived by his wife Theresa, their twin daughters Kelly and Ashley, and his daughters Lisa and Angela from his first marriage,
I lived in Boston and was a die-hard BoSox fan during the 70s and lived near Fenway park during the 1975 World Series so I hated Joe Morgan and everyone else on the ‘Big Red Machine’.
So I am loathe to admit that later, after he retired, I would turn on a baseball game to watch only if I knew he was announcing, knowing that I was going to hear a great broadcast, by someone who forgot more baseball than I would ever know. His warm genteel manner put an air of sophistication to his down-to-earth humble personality. I was not the least but surprised when I read that he had also become a very successful businessman.
To find out that we shared the same hometown was a bonus for me, though I regrettably never saw him walking around Danville. It would have been great to go up to him and tell him that the BoSox were actually the better team in that series, and to have him laugh and share memories. My deep condolences to his family and RIP to a man whose baseball talent was only matched by the way he made people feel who listened and watched him.
Elegantly put, Barry… thanks for taking a moment to post.
Rest in Peace Mr. Morgan. My dad attended his wedding in 1967.
Lots of local connections, memories. Nice to hear folks share.
Good by Little Joe. You packed a lot of power into a 5’7″ frame.
Great player great man.
A very nice man. Condolences to his family.
A great athlete and a joy to watch.