Former big league pitcher John Morris died last week at the age of 84, according to an obituary posted on the Cape Gazette in Morris’ hometown of Lewes, Delaware.
A veteran of eight MLB seasons, Morris is perhaps best known as a member of the Seattle Pilots during the club’s lone season in 1969. Morris signed with the Phillies organization in 1960 before his 18-year-old season, but spent the early years of his career in the minors before making his big league debut with Philadelphia in 1966. He threw just 13 2/3 innings of work in that short cameo in the majors before returning to Triple-A for the 1967 season, where he dominated with a 1.54 ERA over 33 relief appearances.
He was traded to the Orioles prior to the 1968 season and briefly returned to the majors with Baltimore in 1968, but was once again sent back to Triple-A for much of the 1969 campaign, although he reached Seattle and threw 12 2/3. innings for the Pilots. When the Pilots franchise moved to Milwaukee the following year, Morris remained with the club and became a fixture in the Brewers’ bullpen for the 1970 and ’71 seasons. In 1970, Morris served as a swingman and pitched to a 3.93 ERA in 20 games, including nine starts.
The highlight of Morris’ career came on May 13 and 19, 1970 when he threw back-to-back complete games. Morris gave up four runs on ten hits and three walks while striking out eleven in those two complete games, both of which ended in wins for the Brewers. Morris’s start on May 19 against the Oakland A’s saw him beat out game All-Star and future Hall of Famer Catfish Hunter on the mound as Milwaukee won 6–3. Morris’ solid season as a swingman earned him a full-time gig in the Milwaukee bullpen for the 1971 campaign, and he posted a 3.72 ERA in 67 2/3 innings of work in 43 games for the team.
Morris was traded to the Giants after the 1971 season and was largely demoted to rejoin the team’s Triple-A affiliate. He pitched for San Francisco in parts of three seasons and finished his career on a high note with a 3.05 ERA in 17 games for the 1974 Giants in his age-32 season. In total, Morris played in 132 games for the Phillies, Orioles, Pilots, Brewers and Giants during his eight seasons in the majors. He pitched to a 3.95 ERA, struckout 137 batters, finished his career with a lifetime record of 11-7 and picked up two saves along the way.
We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to Morris’ family, friends and loved ones.
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