TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 19, 1943 Hall of Fame 2B Joe Morgan Is Born in Bonham, Texas, and raised in Oakland, California, Morgan was nicknamed "Little Joe" for his diminutive 5'7" stature.

A fierce competitor renowned for his baseball smarts, Joe Morgan could single-handedly beat opposing teams with his multi-faceted skills. An MVP Award Winner in 1975 and 1976 while playing for the World Champion Cincinnati Reds, he was a terror on the basepaths, topping the 40-steal plateau nine times during his career. His skilled batting eye enabled him to lead the National League in on-base percentage and walks four times each. Morgan also packed considerable power into his compact frame, leading all Hall of Fame second basemen with 266 home runs, hitting 268 overall. Morgan's 27 homers in 1976 were the record for a Reds second baseman until Brandon Phillips broke it in 2007.

He began his career with the Houston Colt .45s in 1963, two days after his 20th birthday, and played with Houston (renamed the Houston Astros from 1966 until 1971. He returned to Houston for one season in 1980 after leaving the Reds and helped lead them to their first division title that year.

He moved to the San Francisco Giants in 1981 and almost led them to a surprise pennant in 1982. He was then part of the "Wheeze Kids" Philadelphia Phillies in 1983, reuniting with former Reds teammates Pete Rose and Tony Perez, and appearing in the postseason for the 7th time as the team made an unexpected appearance in that year's World Series. He was still a productive player even while pushing 40, thanks to his power and ability to draw walks. He closed out his career with one season with the Oakland Athletics in 1984.

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 9, 1990 by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Joe's #8 was retired by the Reds in 1987, and he was inducted to both the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame (1987) and Houston Astros Hall of Fame (2019, inaugural class). He was also named to the Rawlings All-Time Gold Glove Team.

Morgan refused to be considered for several managing jobs after his playing days were over, choosing instead to analyze the game from the broadcast booth on ESPN, he was paired with Jon Miller for many years (1990 to 2010) on Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts. A life-size statue of Morgan in action, running the bases, was unveiled in front of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, in Joe's presence. He died at age 77 in October 2020, becoming the 6th Hall of Famer to die that year following Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, and Whitey Ford.

Morgan knew how to celebrate:

September 19 , 1971 -- Joe Morgan bashes an 11th-inning homer on his 28th birthday to torpedo the Reds, 5-4. It's his last long ball before the Reds acquire him in a trade. Cesar Cedeno goes 4-for-4. Despite the win, Houston is eliminated from the division race.

September 19, 1983 -- Joe Morgan part of the Philadelphia Phillies so called “Wheeze Kids,” celebrates his 40th birthday by going 4 for 5 with two home runs in a 7 - 6 win over the Cubs. He will go 4 for 5 again tomorrow in an 8 - 5 win over the Cubs. He was only the second player to celebrate his 40th birthday with a dinger: Bob Thurman was the first, in 1957.

Todays Podcast

September 19, 1931, Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia A’s wins his 30th game of the season. The future Hall of Famer shuts down the Chicago White Sox, 2-1. Grove will finish the season with a league-leading 31 victories.

he becomes the first player since Jim Bagdy to win 30 who accomplished the feat in 1920 for the World Champion Cleveland Indians. Only two more pitchers this century will win as many games, with Dizzy Dean winning 30 for the Cardinals in 1934 and Denny McLain earning 31 victories thirty-four years later for the Tigers.

September 19, 1955 -- Ernie Banks, in a 6-5 Cubs' extra-inning loss to the Cardinals, hits his fifth grand slam of the season to establish a new major league mark, previously shared with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, among the others who also connected four times with bases full. The Chicago infielder hits his historic four-run homer off 19 year-old flamethrower Lindy McDaniel, making his first major league first start after receiving a $50,000 bonus.

September 19, 1956 -- For the third time in his career, Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe hits two home runs in one game, in a 17 - 2 laugher.

It is Newk's 25th win and 8th straight over St. Louis and puts the Dodgers a half game in front of the Braves. Musial and Dark homer for the Cards only scores. Don Demeter hits his first ML homer‚ Sandy Amoros adds an inside-the-park round tripper‚ and 18-year-old Brooklyn native Bob Aspromonte strikes out in his only appearance in the 1905s. But it will him to be the last active Brooklyn Dodger when he finishes his career in 1971.

September 19, 1973, Dave Johnson of the Atlanta Braves sets a single-season record for most home runs by a second baseman. Playing in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Johnson hits his 43rd of the year, (42nd as a second baseman) tying the record held by Rogers Hornsby…RIP

September 19, 1978 -- During a 12 - 11 win over the Cubs, the Pirates' 38-year-old, lead-footed Willie Stargell attempts to steal second base. The Cubs SS waits with the ball as Stargell slides 10 feet short of the base, signaling "time-out." The Pirates lead 11 - 2 in the 7th, but the Cubs rally and tie it in the 9th. Dave Parker homers in the 11th off Bruce Sutter to give the Bucs their 7th straight win and 30th in their last 38 since August 12th. Besides his two homers, Parker adds two run-scoring singles. Listen to the game above!

September 19, 2001 -- Going wire-to-wire in first place, the Mariners become the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season by downing the Angels, 5 - 0, for their 106th win of the year.

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