Hall of Famer, former ESPN ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ analyst Joe Morgan dead at 77

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and former ESPN analyst Joe Morgan died at age 77 after suffering from a nerve condition, a family spokesperson said Monday.

Morgan played 22 seasons and is best known as a leader of the Cincinnati Reds “Big Red Machine” championship teams of 1975 and 1976. The second baseman tallied more than 2,500 hits overall while winning the National League MVP twice and being named to the All-Star team 10 times.

“The Reds are heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Joe Morgan,” the organization posted on its official Twitter account.

The Reds are heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Joe Morgan. pic.twitter.com/zBoQ2gHZys

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) October 12, 2020

Morgan also excelled in the broadcast booth as color commentator of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” telecasts alongside play-by-play announcer Jon Miller from its inception in 1990 until 2010.

Growing up as a baseball fan Jon Miller and Joe Morgan were Sunday Night Baseball to me. RIP Mr. Morgan… pic.twitter.com/c2MHbO5b3T

— Ben Moore (@BenMoore247) October 12, 2020

Tribute to baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan who passed away today at age 77. He grew up in Oakland and played at Castlemont High School. He was part of the Big Red Machine in the 1970s. I also very much enjoyed him as a TV baseball analyst alongside Jon Miller. pic.twitter.com/fmPOJnaPOs

— Sal Castaneda (@sal_castaneda) October 12, 2020

Never got to see Joe Morgan play. But for people my age, he and Jon Miller were what Sundays sounded like.

— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) October 12, 2020