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Hall of Famer Joe Morgan dies at 77.......

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OklaBama

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Aug 10, 2004
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CTOkie said:
I saw him play many times in the Dome both for and against the Astros.
Trading him was among Houston's worst trades.
He was my favorite second baseman of all time.
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I moved to Houston in 1970 and watched Joe play as many games as I could afford in the Dome until he was traded to the Reds. I couldn’t believe the Astros traded Joe and ended up with Tommy Helms. There was no comparison, IMO. Many great memories watching Joe, Jimmy Wynn and Cesar’ Cedeno with my wife and 3 year old son. Joe is my #2. Gotta go with Bobby Richardson as #1, not on talent but rather for being a big Yankee fan going back to ‘53. You know what I mean, CT.
 
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WP76

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If I were a HoF baseball player right now, I'd be very worried. That's, what, four in the last month?
 
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CTOkie

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Oklabama said:
I moved to Houston in 1970 and watched Joe play as many games as I could afford in the Dome until he was traded to the Reds. I couldn’t believe the Astros traded Joe and ended up with Tommy Helms. There was no comparison, IMO. Many great memories watching Joe, Jimmy Wynn and Cesar’ Cedeno with my wife and 3 year old son. Joe is my #2. Gotta go with Bobby Richardson as #1, not on talent but rather for being a big Yankee fan going back to ‘53. You know what I mean, CT.
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I was traumatized having Richardson retire after 1966 only to be replaced by Horace Clarke.
Those years of 1965-1975 were as tough to take as OU's decade of the 1990's.
That 1972 trade with the Reds had Morgan, OF's Armbrister, Geronimo, IF Dennis Menke leaving and 2B Helms, IB Lee May, IF Jimmie Stewart and pitcher Jack Billingham going to Houston.
 
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OklaBama

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CTOkie said:
I was traumatized having Richardson retire after 1966 only to be replaced by Horace Clarke.
Those years of 1965-1975 were as tough to take as OU's decade of the 1990's.
That 1972 trade with the Reds had Morgan, OF's Armbrister, Geronimo, IF Dennis Menke leaving and 2B Helms, IB Lee May, IF Jimmie Stewart and pitcher Jack Billingham going to Houston.
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Yeah, that was a bloody trade for the Astros. In 1974 I spent 2 weeks in Chicago on business. I was fortunate enough to have stayed at the Executive Plaza (now Hotel 71) which was the hotel that every major league team stayed when they played the Cubs or White Sox back then. As luck would have it, the Reds were in town for a 4 game series Thurs - Sun, so I got to see a lot of Reds that trip. The one thing I remember so clearly is how Joe Morgan treated the fans. The guy would stand outside and sign autographs for 20 minutes before getting on the bus to head to the ball park. On the other hand, Bench would work the lobby, which was restricted to guests and a few local sports reporters, then go hurriedly to the bus just as it left the hotel without even acknowledging the fans. He was a jerk.
 
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CTOkie

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Houston's been a cursed franchise:
The Rusty Staub trade in 1968.
The collision between Hector Torres and Jesus Alou in 1968.
The Morgan trade after the 1971 season.
Dickie Thon's beaning five games into the 1984 season when Thon was on the verge of a great career.
Frustrating losses in the playoffs in 1980 and 1986.
The White Sox sweeping the 2005 Series, following by the horrible years that followed.
The sign stealing scandals of 2017-18.
Hope there's better luck now.
 
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veritas59

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veritas59 said:
That series with the Red Sox in 75 remains one of my all time favorites..

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I was a junior in high school and I had five bucks riding on the Reds; I bet with a transplanted New Englander... lots of smack talking over the course of the series, especially after Fisk's 6th game heroics. In the end, Joe secured me that 5 spot.
 
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OklaBama

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veritas59 said:
I was a junior in high school and I had five bucks riding on the Reds; I bet with a transplanted New Englander... lots of smack talking over the course of the series, especially after Fisk's 6th game heroics. In the end, Joe secured me that 5 spot.
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“I was in junior high school”....Jesus, V-Man, you may be my youngest friend. Lol.

I think I opened the door for you, dude.
 
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newnasty

newnasty

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Great player, 10 time All Star, HoFer, and a real good announcer as well. He now joins team mates Bob Watson & Jimmy Wynn.
 
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newnasty

newnasty

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CTOkie said:
I was traumatized having Richardson retire after 1966 only to be replaced by Horace Clarke.
Those years of 1965-1975 were as tough to take as OU's decade of the 1990's.
That 1972 trade with the Reds had Morgan, OF's Armbrister, Geronimo, IF Dennis Menke leaving and 2B Helms, IB Lee May, IF Jimmie Stewart and pitcher Jack Billingham going to Houston.
Click to expand...

Harry Walker & Joe got a bit sideways over what Joe descirbed as racists overtones. He was one of many quality players traded away. Jimmy Wynn, Mike Cuellar, Rusty Staub, to name a few.
 
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Plainosooner_rivals54053

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Oct 20, 2002
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The Reds made close to the worst trade of the 60's, giving the Orioles Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas.

Then they made probably the best trade of the 70's, acquiring Joe Morgan for the '72 season. That is when they really became the Big Red Machine, though the nickname started in 1970, I believe. And they got smoked in the World Series by the Orioles. They were the most feared batting order in the NL as long as Joe stayed.

RIP Joe. Joe was the epitome of a Baseball Man. Great player. Great guy. Terrific broadcaster.
 
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CTOkie

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Plainosooner said:
The Reds made close to the worst trade of the 60's, giving the Orioles Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas.

Then they made probably the best trade of the 70's, acquiring Joe Morgan for the '72 season. That is when they really became the Big Red Machine, though the nickname started in 1970, I believe. And they got smoked in the World Series by the Orioles. They were the most feared batting order in the NL as long as Joe stayed.

RIP Joe. Joe was the epitome of a Baseball Man. Great player. Great guy. Terrific broadcaster.
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Clearly, the Frank Robinson-Milt Pappas trade was a great lopsided trade for the Orioles, but Pappas was a quality pitcher throughout his career, winning 209 games, which gets ignored when this trade is discussed. At the time of the trade, the Reds were far removed from their 1961 Series team and were 5 years away from having another pennant.
Robinson really elevated the Orioles, even after the Cincinnati owner declared his best days were behind him at age 30 when the trade was made.
I saw Robinson win games not only with his bat, but with his defense as well.
The teams Baltimore had during Robinson's time were among the best I ever saw and the 1969 Series loss to the Miracle Mets was one of the two great upsets in Series history along with the Pirates' upset of the Yankees in 1960.
 
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