John Morris (pitcher)
| John Morris | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: August 23, 1941 Lewes, Delaware, U.S. | |
| Died: October 15, 2025 (aged 84) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 19, 1966, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1974, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 11–7 |
| Earned run average | 3.95 |
| Strikeouts | 137 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
John Wallace Morris (August 23, 1941 – October 15, 2025) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. A left-hander, he appeared in 132 games played, all but ten as a relief pitcher, during all or parts of eight seasons between 1966 and 1974 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants. He batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 195 pounds (88 kg).
Biography
[edit]Morris was born in Lewes, Delaware, and graduated from Lewes High School. He signed with the nearby Phillies in 1960, played 5+1⁄2 years in their farm system, and made his MLB debut in July 1966. He appeared in 13 games through the end of September, going 1–1 with a 5.27 ERA. He spent all of 1967 back in Triple-A.[1] He was traded from the Phillies to the Orioles on December 18, 1967, completing a transaction from one year earlier when Dick Hall was sent to Philadelphia on December 15, 1966.[2][3] In 1968, Morris made 19 relief appearances for the Orioles, posting a 2–0 record and a 2.56 ERA.[1] That autumn, he was selected in the American League expansion draft by the fledgling Seattle Pilots.[4]
Morris split his 1969 season between Seattle and Triple-A, but the following year, when Pilots had become the Milwaukee Brewers, he spent the first of two straight years as a full-season major leaguer. Morris was a Brewer for 69 games, more than half of his MLB appearances, and threw his only two complete games;[1] they happened in two consecutive starts in May 1970, on the 13th against the New York Yankees, a three-hit, 3–1 triumph, and the 19th against the Oakland Athletics, a 6–3 win over Catfish Hunter.[5] Traded to the Giants after the 1971 season, he appeared in 31 total games over three seasons (1972–1974).[1]
In 132 MLB games, he posted an 11–7 won–lost record, with two saves. He allowed 227 hits and 86 walks in 2321⁄3 innings pitched, with 137 strikeouts.[1]
He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.[6]
Morris died on October 15, 2025, at the age of 84.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "John Morris Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "...And to Complete the Report," Chicago Tribune, Tuesday December 19, 1967. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Orioles Trade Hall," The Associated Press (AP), Thursday December 15, 1966. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "1968 MLB Expansion Drafts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "John Morris 1970 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in Wilmington, Delaware - 1987". www.desports.org.
- ^ Hoornstra, Jon Paul (October 20, 2025). "Former Phillies, Orioles Pitcher Dies". Newsweek. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac