Joe Morgan Has Passed Away

[jchcollins]

Sad. The 2020 hits just keep on coming. I didn't see Joe play, but used to listen to him and Jon Miller doing ESPN Sunday Night Baseball as a kid growing up, and being into cards then, I quickly found out who he was around the time of his HOF election. In terms of the hobby I think Joe is an underrated great and could be appreciated more for what he did on the Big Red Machine at the height of their run. RIP sir...

[triwak]

R.i.p.

[Tao_Moko]

Hang in there Tommy and Willie!!! Jimmy Wynn didn't get a mention but he passed this year too.

[Kaneen]

As a kid growing up near Cincinnati in the 70s, the "Big Red Machine" team really captured me and made me a baseball fan for life. I spent many nights after bedtime with a little transistor radio (google it kids) under my pillow listening to the Reds radio broadcasts...such great memories they provided. So this one hits me especially hard. Perhaps no cohesive starting lineup unit has ever defined the sports identity of a city quite like "The Great 8" and Cincinnati. Hard to accept the news that the first member of that legendary unit has passed. What a legacy and giant footprint they left on a city, the history of baseball, and on many childhood's like mine.

RIP "Little Joe!"

[kailes2872]

I was born in '72, so I first remember watching Joe with the Giants in '80. That was about the time I started following baseball and collecting baseball cards, so I read immediately about the MVP's in 75 and 76. It was crazy to think that with Bench, Rose, and company, Morgan was the MVP.

What I think is interesting is that it was in his 10th and 11th year that he won the award. I went back and looked at old sets and all-star cards and it seems that he was a good player, but not a perennial all-star. I'm not sure who the '72 Joe Morgan would compare to today that would help make it relative, but I am just a bit surprised that he went from this really good, sought after strong player to a back to back MVP which eventually was the driver for his HOF induction. The fact that Houston let him be traded says a lot about his relative value in the league at the time.

By no means any disrespect to Joe - especially on this day. I am just surprised about such a late peak and wonder if there are any comps that anyone can think of - someone who was more than half way through their career before they make that second spike to first tier. I was born 90 minutes from Cincinnati and grew up a Reds fan. By the time I was actively following, most of the great 8 had moved on and the Reds were struggling in the 82-84 time frame. But, "who is better, Bench vs Rose?" could sometime rise to the level of a playground fight.

[commishbob]

We moved to Houston in 1967. I remained an Orioles fan but I quickly 'adopted' the '67 Astros crew that included Morgan, Staub, Cuellar, Wynn, Sonny Jackson, Dierker and Ed Mathews. I didn't know anyone so with time on my hands I started a scrapbook like I had done with my teams when I was younger. It was fun and even though the team struggled I looked forward to listening to their radio broadcasts and then slicing up the sports page the next day.

Joe Morgan was a big part of that. He played with passion and style. RIP

[doug.goodman]

Since the Asterisks are on TV right now, here is Joe's last game playing for Houston...

[bigfanNY]

RIP Mr Morgan. I was a fan of the reds up until 1976 when the played the Yankees in the World Series. My Dad would take me to Shea Stadium once a year to see a Mets Reds game first game I think was 1971 and last was definitely 76. I have always liked live baseball and the Reds from that time were powerhouse. A real pleasure to watch Joe and the rest of the Big Red Machine. Truly a great 8 no holes in that lineup and certainly not Joe who was as clutch as they come.

[Case12]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

Hang in there Tommy and Willie!!! Jimmy Wynn didn't get a mention but he passed this year too.

And Don Larsen (Jan 1, 2020)

[Kingcobb]

R.I.P. Joe I will always remember trying to imitate your arm flap batting stance in our neighborhood whiffle ball games.

[tonyo]

My favorite player as a kid.

In tribute to Joe , I'll show this picture I colored back in 75

[conor912]

Originally Posted by tonyo

My favorite player as a kid.

In tribute to Joe , I'll show this picture I colored back in 75

This is amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by tonyo

My favorite player as a kid.

In tribute to Joe , I'll show this picture I colored back in 75

That is fantastic! Better than some of the 2020 Topps artistic/sketch material I've seen floating around these past few months.

RIP Joe! Another great one lost in 2020.

[Case12]

Originally Posted by tonyo

My favorite player as a kid.

In tribute to Joe , I'll show this picture I colored back in 75

That is moving. A kid daydreaming and drawing his favorite baseball star. Doesn't get any better than that!...

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by tonyo

My favorite player as a kid.

In tribute to Joe , I'll show this picture I colored back in 75

Fantastic. Just fantastic.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

Hang in there Tommy and Willie!!! Jimmy Wynn didn't get a mention but he passed this year too.

let's not forget...Hang in there Tommy's brother too, Hank. Loved the Toy Cannon when he played for the Astros and especially the Dodgers. Didn't know Tommy Aaron was sick? Honestly, not sure who Tommy is? Tommy Agee? Tommy John? Tommy Lasorda? Love Tommy Lasorda and have spent many afternoons with him in the Dodger Dugout club. My friend pitched on the 88 team so, the "Tommy" Stories are endless. Wishing them all, a healthy and safe rest of 2020. What a waste of a year.