Major League Baseball lost a legend on Monday evening.
Baseball Hall Of Famer and legendary ESPN broadcaster Joe Morgan passed away at the age of 77. Morgan’s family said that he died from non-specified polyneuropathy or nerve damage.
Morgan was a two-time NL MVP and 10-time MLB All-Star. He led the Cincinnati Reds to World Series championships in both of his MVP seasons in 1975 and 1976.
“The Reds family is heartbroken,” Red CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement. “Joe was a giant in the game and was adored by the fans in this city.”
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday called Morgan the consummate “five-tool player,” meaning he could hit for a high batting average, hit for power, run the bases, field his position and throw the ball with authority.
“Joe was a close friend and an advisor to me, and I welcomed his perspective on numerous issues in recent years,” Manfred said in a statement. “He was a true gentleman who cared about our game and the values for which it stands.”
After being selected for the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1980, Morgan went on to be the face of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball for 20 years.