Carl Morton
Encyclopedia
Carl Wendle Morton was a former starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Montreal Expos
(1969–72) and Atlanta Braves
(1973–76). He batted and threw right-handed.
In an eight-season career, Morton posted an 87-92 record with 650 strikeout
s and a 3.73 ERA
in 1648.2 innings
.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri
, Morton grew up in West Tulsa, where he played baseball on the same Webster High School
team as future fellow major-leaguer Rich Calmus
. Morton went on to play outfield for the University of Oklahoma. He started his pro career as an outfielder
in the Atlanta Braves organization and later converted to a pitcher. He was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1968 expansion draft.
In 1970, Morton compiled an 18-11 record for the last-place Expos and won the National League Rookie of the Year
and TSN National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year
awards, becoming the first Montreal player to receive the honors. He also pitched 10 complete games, including four shutout
s, and compiled a 3.60 ERA. But Morton was never able to recapture the same success for the rest of his stint in Montreal. Plagued by low run support, he went 10-18 in 1971 and slipped to 7-13 in 1972. Then he was shipped back to the Braves before the 1973 season.
In Atlanta, Morton strung together three consecutive 15+ win seasons for mediocre Braves teams, with a high 17 victories in 1975. A year later, he won only four games and finished his career in the minors
, pitching for the Rangers
, Phillies
and Pirates
Triple-A teams until 1978.
Carl Morton died in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, of a heart attack
after jogging
. He was 39.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1969–72) and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1973–76). He batted and threw right-handed.
In an eight-season career, Morton posted an 87-92 record with 650 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 3.73 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 1648.2 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Morton grew up in West Tulsa, where he played baseball on the same Webster High School
Webster High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Daniel Webster High School is a high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is part of the Tulsa Public Schools, and is a public school for students from grades 9 through 12. The school opened in 1938 in the West Tulsa section of the city, and is housed in a PWA-style Art Deco building designed by...
team as future fellow major-leaguer Rich Calmus
Dick Calmus
Richard Lee Calmus was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He attended Webster High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was the Tulsa World's Oklahoma basketball player of the year in 1962...
. Morton went on to play outfield for the University of Oklahoma. He started his pro career as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in the Atlanta Braves organization and later converted to a pitcher. He was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1968 expansion draft.
In 1970, Morton compiled an 18-11 record for the last-place Expos and won the National League Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
and TSN National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News .*In 1947-48, and again in 1950, a single award was given for all of Major League Baseball....
awards, becoming the first Montreal player to receive the honors. He also pitched 10 complete games, including four shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s, and compiled a 3.60 ERA. But Morton was never able to recapture the same success for the rest of his stint in Montreal. Plagued by low run support, he went 10-18 in 1971 and slipped to 7-13 in 1972. Then he was shipped back to the Braves before the 1973 season.
In Atlanta, Morton strung together three consecutive 15+ win seasons for mediocre Braves teams, with a high 17 victories in 1975. A year later, he won only four games and finished his career in the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, pitching for the Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
Triple-A teams until 1978.
Carl Morton died in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
after jogging
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
. He was 39.
Fact
- In the 1970 Rookie of the Year vote, Morton was selected over Bernie CarboBernie CarboBernardo 'Bernie' Carbo is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played from through for the Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, Larry BowaLarry BowaLawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
and César CedeñoCésar CedeñoCésar Cedeño Encarnación is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Houston Astros , Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers . He batted and threw right-handed....
.