This is almost becoming a habit for Joe Morgan and no longer a surprise. Two years ago, Morgan lied during a Sunday night game, saying he contributed to the Phillies blowing a big lead down the stretch of the ’64 season as a rookie with Houston. A few problems: Morgan made his rookie debut in ’63 and the Phillies never played the Astros during their collapse. Last year Morgan professed to be one of the stadium builders for the Cubs, saying the netting a Wrigley Field was named Banks Boulevard for all the home runs he hit up there. In actuality, the netting wasn’t put up until the end of Banks’ career and it never had that nickname. Now, for the third straight year, we’ve found Morgan lying yet again. The latest fib came right after Yadier Molina doubled in the 8th to break up Cliff Lee’s no-hit bid. As Morgan told it on ESPN, via Deadspin:
“I guess I can tell this story now, one of my great experiences when I was a young player. Don Wilson was pitching a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. They had Orlando Cepeda, Rico Carty, Felipe Alou and Hank Aaron, of course. And they got to the ninth inning, he got two outs, no one on base, and Hank Aaron was the hitter. And in my infinite wisdom, I ran in to the mound. I said, “You know, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Hank Aaron walked right here. He said, ‘Get back to second base.’ I proceeded to go back to second base. He threw three fastballs right by Hank Aaron. No-hitter.”
Sounds like a cool story, right? Well, here’s where he’s busted …
This would’ve been June 18, 1967, Joe’s third full season in the bigs. That Braves team did indeed feature Hank Aaron, Felipe Alou and Rico Carty — though not Cepeda, who was in St. Louis that year. And Wilson did indeed throw a no-hitter, striking out Aaron to end the game. None of that’s the problem. The problem, as a tipster points out, is that Joe Morgan wasn’t playing that day. Look at the box score. The Astros’ second baseman was Julio Gotay. Morgan, who was probably hurt, hadn’t played since June 3. He would pinch-hit the next two games, then return to the lineup June 21
OK, this is just like having Matt Millen, the world’s worst GM ever, occupy an “expert” analysis chair on TV — this guy has no credibility. How are we supposed to believe any story Joe Morgan tells on air when it’s been proven he’s a consistent liar? For goodness sakes, ESPN, get this guy off the air! Don’t you have any standards for truth?
