Joe Morgan, Hall of Fame second baseman and longtime broadcaster, passed away last night. He was 77.
Morgan, a Texas native who was born in Bonham, Texas, came up with the Houston Astros in the early 60s. After brief cameos in 1963 and 1964, he became an everyday player for Houston in 1965, slashing .271/.373/.418 and leading the majors in walks while stealing 20 bases and posting a 5.7 bWAR. Morgan finished second in the N.L. Rookie of the Year voting to Jim Lefebvre.
Morgan spent his early- to mid-20s with the Astros, putting up quality seasons, but with the Astros wanting to add power to their lineup and with Astros manager Harry Walker apparently finding Morgan to be too uppity, the Astros made one of the most consequential trades of the 1970s.