Jack Morris

John Scott Morris

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lb.
• School Brigham Young University
• High School Highland Park High School (St. Paul)
• Debut July 26, 1977
• Final Game August 7, 1994
• Born May 16, 1955 in St. Paul, MN USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

A chucker-deluxe, surly Jack Morris was a bulldog on the mound, replete with the competitive fire to match his great stuff. He won 254 games in his career. In 2010, he received 52.3% of the Hall of Fame vote and in 2013, 67.7% of the vote in his penultimate year of eligibility. Historically, pitchers from the 20th century with 250 wins have gotten into the Hall, although Morris may have to wait for the Veterans Committee to examine his case if he does not receive a final boost in 2014 Hall of Fame Election to put him over the threshold, after seeing his vote total stall over the previous two years. Morris is tied at 254 wins with Red Faber, who is in the Hall of Fame. However, Morris has a high 3.90 career ERA, and which is higher than any pitcher in the Hall of Fame. He also threw 175 complete games, a high total for his era, which is a point in his favor.

Morris played on three World Series winners, including the 1984 Detroit Tigers, the 1991 Minnesota Twins, and the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays. In the 1984 Series, he went 2-0, in the 1991 Series he went 2-0, including a magnificent 10-inning shutout in the decisive seventh game, but in the 1992 Series, he went 0-2. He was also a member of the Blue Jay staff in 1993, when they repeated as World Champions, but did not pitch in the post-season after suffering through a poor 7-12, 6.19 season. Through 2007, Morris is the last pitcher to pitch in consecutive World Series for two different World Series champion teams (Minnesota - 1991, Toronto - 1992).

Jack Morris became a national star in 1984 when he pitched a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox on April 7th, in the midst of the Tigers' amazing run to open the season. Morris had been a solid pitcher before, but that feat grabbed headlines, and he never lost his star status afterwards, thanks to his excellent performance the rest of the year and in the ensuing World Series. Although he never won a Cy Young Award, he was in the top 5 in the voting five times.

He was a Detroit Tigers' television broadcaster in 2003 and did some color commentary for the Minnesota Twins and Tigers a few times in 2005.

"To me, he was the best pitcher I ever had in my career." – Sparky Anderson (as seen on MLB Network's Prime 9: Best Non-Hall of Famers, 01-10-2012; Morris was ranked second behind only Tim Raines.)

[edit] Notable Achievements

• 5-time AL All-Star (1981, 1984, 1985, 1987 & 1991)
• 1991 World Series MVP
• 2-time AL Wins Leader (1981 & 1992)
• AL Innings Pitched Leader (1983)
• AL Strikeouts Leader (1983)
• AL Complete Games Leader (1990)
• AL Shutouts Leader (1986)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 12 (1979, 1980, 1982-1988 & 1990-1992)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 3 (1983, 1986 & 1992)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 11 (1980, 1982-1988 & 1990-1992)
• 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 3 (1983, 1986 & 1987)
• Won four World Series with the Detroit Tigers (1984), the Minnesota Twins (1991) and the Toronto Blue Jays (1992 & 1993; he did not play in the 1993 World Series)

[edit] Further Reading

• Jack Morris (as told to George Vass): "The Game I'll Never Forget", Baseball Digest, December 1994, pp. 71-72. [1]

[edit] Related Sites