Carl Wendle Morton (January 18, 1944 – April 12, 1983) was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
player. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
as a right-handed
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
from through for the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
and the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. Morton was named the
NL Rookie of the Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
in and posted a career record of 87–92 with 650
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s and a 3.73
ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Comp ...
in 1648.2
innings
An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). Innings, in cricket, and rounders, is bot ...
.
Early years
Morton was born in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
to Clyde and Merle Morton. He grew up in
West Tulsa West Tulsa is a local name given to an area situated in the west section of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma which includes various communities to the west and south of the Arkansas River. As development between Sand Springs and Tulsa continued in the ...
, where he played baseball on the same
Webster High School team as future major-leaguer
Rich Calmus. Morton went on to play outfield for the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
.
Baseball career
Morton started his pro career as an
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
in the Atlanta Braves organization and later converted to a pitcher. He was selected by the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
in the
1968 expansion draft.
Morton's first career start was on April 11, 1969, the fourth game of the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
as a franchise. He pitched nine innings while allowing six hits and no runs, with three strikeouts and walks each, but the Expos lost in the 12th inning 1–0 to the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
. He went 0-3 that season, having a 4.60 ERA in eight games pitched in 29.1 innings, having 16 strikeouts and 18 walks.
In 1970, Morton compiled an 18–11 record for the last-place Expos and was the
National League Rookie of the Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
, chosen over
Bernie Carbo
Bernardo Carbo (born August 5, 1947) is an American former outfielder and designated hitter who played from through for the Cincinnati Reds (1969–72), St. Louis Cardinals (1972–73, 1979–80), Boston Red Sox (1974–76, 1977–78), Milwaukee ...
,
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa (born December 6, 1945) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. Bowa went on to ma ...
and
César Cedeño
César Cedeño Encarnación (born February 25, 1951) is a Dominican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1970 to 1986, most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where ...
. He had a 3.60 ERA in 43 games pitched, having 10
complete games
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
, four
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
s while throwing 284.2 innings, 125 walks and 154 strikeouts, the latter three being career highs. He received votes for the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player voting, finishing 9th and 27th, respectively. That same year he also received the
''Sporting News'' Rookie of the Year Award, becoming the first Montreal player to receive the honors.
Morton regressed in the following two seasons with Montreal, plagued by low run support. For 1971, he went 10–18 with a 4.80 ERA in 36 games, having nine complete games and one save on 213.2 innings of work, with 84 strikeouts and 83 walks. His one save came on June 21, 1971 during the second game of an Expos-Braves doubleheader. Morton retired the final batter of the game in a 5-3 Expos win. In his final year with the Expos, he went 7–13 with a 3.92 ERA in 27 games, having three complete games in 172 innings, having 51 strikeouts and 53 walks. On February 28, 1973, he was traded to the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
for
Pat Jarvis.
![LouBrockstealing](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/LouBrockstealing.jpg)
1973 was a fair return to form for Morton. He went 15–10 with a 3.41 ERA in 38 games while having 10 complete games in 256.1 innings. He had 112 strikeouts and 70 walks. He ranked in the top 10 in numerous categories such as innings pitched (ninth), games started (sixth), shutouts (fifth), hits allowed (seventh) and batters faced (eighth with 1,074).
The following year had fairer returns. He went 16–12 with a 3.15 ERA in 38 games and seven complete games in 274.2 innings, with a career high 113 strikeouts and 89 walks, although he allowed a league high 293 hits. The team finished 88–74, best for third place behind the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
by 14 games. It was the only time Morton played for a winning team in his career.
1975 consisted of ups and downs. He went 17-16 for a 3.50 ERA in 39 games, 277.2 innings, with 11 complete games and 302 hits allowed (the latter four being career highs). He had 78 strikeouts and 82 walks.
1976 was his final season in the majors. He went 4–9 with a 4.17 ERA in 26 games, having one complete game in 140.1 innings, having 42 strikeouts and 45 walks. His final game was on August 21 against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. He pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts. He also went 3-for-4 for three RBIs (including a stolen base off
Bob Forsch
Robert Herbert Forsch (January 13, 1950 – November 3, 2011) was an American professional baseball player who spent most of his sixteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the St. Louis Cardinals (1974–1988) before finishing his pl ...
in the sixth inning) in the 6–2 win by the team.
Morton was part of a five-for-one trade that sent him,
Ken Henderson
Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...
,
Dave May
David LaFrance May (December 23, 1943 – October 20, 2012) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rang ...
,
Roger Moret
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
,
Adrian Devine
Paul Adrian Devine (December 2, 1951June 27, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher in and from through for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. He batted and threw ri ...
and $200,000 from the Braves to the Rangers for
Jeff Burroughs
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs (born March 7, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from through , for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1970–76), Atlanta Braves (1977–8 ...
on December 9, 1976. He was released by the Rangers on April 1, 1977. He signed with the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
later in the 1977 season, but he did not play a game before being released on September 14. He signed with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
before the 1978 season, but he was released on March 18.
As a hitter, although posting only a .156
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(86-for-551), he did hit seven
home runs
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
with 42
RBI. He had a career high three home runs and 15 RBI for the Montreal Expos in 1973. Defensively, he was above average, recording a .975
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
which was 26 points higher than the league average at his position.
Morton finished his career in the
minors, pitching for the
Rangers,
Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citizen ...
and
Pirates
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
Triple-A teams until 1978.
Death
Morton died on April 12, 1983 in
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
after
jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase physical fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running but more than walking, or to maintain a steady speed for longer periods ...
. He was survived by his wife Karen along with a son and stepdaughter.
Former major leaguer Morton dies
/ref>
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morton, Carl
1944 births
1983 deaths
Baseball players from Kansas City, Missouri
Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Major League Baseball pitchers
Webster High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma) alumni
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
Montreal Expos players
Atlanta Braves players
Oklahoma City 89ers players
West Palm Beach Braves players
Kinston Eagles players
Yakima Braves players
Vancouver Mounties players
Shreveport Braves players
Oklahoma Sooners baseball players