1979 Joe Morgan Cincinnati Reds Topps MLB Card #20

Description: This 1979 Joe Morgan Cincinnati Reds Topps MLB Card #20 is the exact item you will receive and has been certified Authentic by REM Fine Collectibles. Joe Leonard Morgan (September 19, 1943 – October 11, 2020) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Colt .45s / Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in each of those years. Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all time, Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. As part of the Big Red Machine, Morgan made eight consecutive All-Star Game appearances (1972–79) to go along with his 1966 and 1970 appearances with Houston. Morgan, along with teammates Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Pérez, and Dave Concepción, led the Reds to consecutive championships in the World Series. He drove in Ken Griffey for the winning run in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series. Morgan was also the National League MVP in 1975 and 1976. He was the first second baseman in the history of the National League to win the MVP back to back.Morgan was acquired along with Al Holland by the Phillies from the Giants for Mike Krukow, Mark Davis and minor-league outfielder C.L. Penigar on December 14, 1982. He was reunited with former Reds teammates Pete Rose and Tony Pérez. The lineup was soon dubbed the "Wheeze Kids", referring to the considerable age in their starting lineup, where just one starting player was under 30 years old. On his 40th birthday in 1983, Morgan had four hits, including two home runs and a double, at Veterans Stadium. The Phillies beat the Dodgers in the NLCS to reach the World Series for the second time in four seasons. Morgan got to play in the World Series for the final time, facing off against the Baltimore Orioles. In Game 1, he hit a home run in the sixth inning to tie the game; he became the second oldest player to hit a home run in the World Series (Enos Slaughter was a few months older at the age of 40). He went 5-for-19 in the Series, which included a second home run in Game 5, but the Phillies lost in five games. Morgan finished his career with the Oakland Athletics in 1984, playing 116 games and batting .244. He collected a hit in his final game on September 30, collecting a double in his one at-bat before being taken out of the game. In Morgan's NL MVP years he combined for a .324 batting average, 44 home runs, 205 runs batted in, 246 bases on balls, and 127 stolen bases. Morgan was an extremely capable hitter—especially in clutch situations. While his lifetime average was only .271, he hit between .288 and .327 during his peak years with the Reds. Additionally, he drew many walks, resulting in an excellent .392 on-base percentage. He also hit 268 home runs to go with his 449 doubles and 96 triples, excellent power for a middle infielder of his era, and was considered by some the finest base stealer of his generation (689 steals at greater than 80% success rate). Besides his prowess at the plate and on the bases, Morgan was an exceptional infielder, winning the Gold Glove Award in consecutive years from 1973 to 1977. His short height proved an asset to him, as he had one of baseball's smallest strike zones. "The umpires gave him everything. If he didn't swing at the pitch, it was a ball," recalled Tommy John.

Price: 34 USD

Location: Beverly Hills, California

End Time: 2024-12-27T16:40:47.000Z

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