Highlighted Year: Tom Morgan, 1961

Pitcher, Los Angeles Angels

Age:  31 (May 20)

1^st season with Angels

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1961:

A California native, Morgan was originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1949, a year after graduating from El Monte High School. Originally assigned to Ventura of the Class C California League that year, he posted a 12-9 record and 3.74 ERA with 13 complete games and 125 strikeouts over 200 innings pitched. Advancing to Binghamton of the Class A Eastern League in 1950, the lanky pitcher with a sallow complexion produced a 17-8 tally and 3.55 ERA with 114 strikeouts over 203 innings. Displaying excellent poise and control, an impressive spring earned him a spot in the Yankee rotation to start the season in 1951. He was sent down to Kansas City of the Class AAA American Association in May but was soon returned to the Yanks where he was utilized as a starter and reliever who compiled a 9-3 record in 27 appearances (16 of them starts) with a 3.68 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 124.2 innings. Tagged with the nickname “Plowboy” because he came from a farming background and ambled to the mound looking as though he was pushing a plow, his best pitch was a sinking fastball. Morgan was used primarily as a starter in 1952 and had a 5-4 tally and 3.07 ERA before joining the Army in July. After missing all of 1953 to military service, “Plowboy” returned to the Yankees in 1954 and, once again a starter-reliever, showed improved effectiveness with an 11-5 record and 3.34 ERA, 7 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 34 strikeouts over 143 innings. Utilized almost exclusively as a reliever in 1955, he appeared in 40 games and compiled a 7-3 mark and 3.25 ERA with 11 saves and 17 strikeouts over 72 innings. In 1956 Morgan appeared in 41 games and had a 6-7 tally and 4.16 ERA with 11 saves. Part of a 13-player trade in 1957, “Plowboy” was sent to the Kansas City Athletics where he made 13 starts in 46 appearances and finished at 9-7 with a 4.64 ERA, 8 saves, and 32 strikeouts over 143.2 innings pitched. Dealt again in the offseason, he pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1958 and was effective as a short reliever out of the bullpen with a 3.16 ERA to go along with a 2-5 record and 32 strikeouts over 62.2 innings. With the fourth-place Tigers in 1959, Morgan was a solid reliever with 9 saves and a 1-4 tally in 46 appearances, producing a 3.98 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 92.2 innings. Morgan started the 1960 season with the Tigers and was dealt to the Washington Senators in late July. Initially threatening to retire rather than join the Senators, he reported to his new club and for the year appeared in 36 games, all in relief, and ended up with a 4-5 tally and 4.25 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 53 innings pitched. He was purchased by the expansion Angels in the offseason.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 59 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 59 [2, tied with Turk Lown]

Games Started – 0

Games Finished – 33 [7]

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 8

Losses – 2

PCT - .800 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 10 [10]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 91.2

Hits – 74

Runs – 31

Earned Runs – 24

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 17

Strikeouts – 39

ERA – 2.36 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 5 [16, tied with four others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 0 

Midseason Snapshot: 2-1, G – 29, ERA - 3.93, SV – 2, SO - 18 in 36.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 4.2 IP) vs. KC A’s 9/1

10+ strikeout games – 0

 Batting

PA – 13, AB – 12, R – 1, H – 1, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 1, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .083, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 28

Put Outs – 8

Assists – 18

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .929

Awards & Honors:

21^st in AL MVP voting, tied with Al Smith, ChiWS (3 points, 1% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Angels went 70-91 to finish eighth in the AL, 38.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in walks (713), strikeouts (973), and fewest complete games (25). Opening the season on the road, the Angels lost 7 of their first 8 games but proved to be more competitive the rest of the way, especially at home at LA’s Wrigley Field, where they produced a 46-36 record and drew 603,510 fans.

Aftermath of 1961:

Following his fine 1961 season, Morgan performed well as part of a very effective bullpen in 1962, appearing in 48 games and producing a 5-2 record with a 2.91 ERA, 9 saves, and 29 strikeouts over 58.2 innings. He appeared in only 13 games with the Angels in 1963 and was released after the season, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career, Morgan pitched in 443 games (61 of them starts) and produced a 67-47 record with a 3.61 ERA, 66 saves, and 364 strikeouts over 1023.1 innings. With the Angels he was 13-4 in 120 appearances (all in relief) with a 2.86 ERA, 20 saves, and 75 strikeouts over 166.2 innings pitched. He appeared in 5 World Series games, all with the Yankees, and had an 0-1 record and 5.59 ERA with 7 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched. Following his playing career, Morgan became a minor league pitching coach for the Angels and acted as pitching coach for the major league club from 1972 to ‘74, where he helped RHP Nolan Ryan to develop his pitching mechanics, and again from 1981 to ‘83. He also worked for the Padres, Braves, and Yankees prior to his death in 1987 at age 56 due to the effects of a stroke.  

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.