jack morris is in my hall of famer collection

jack morris was the winningest pitcher of the 1980's. that's a loaded stat, as it takes luck and timing, along with skill, to achieve, but still, he was a big part of my youthful baseball fandom and then some. here's his entry in my hall of famer collection:

here's the back:

that's a 2004 donruss timelines recollection collection 1986 buyback autograph numbered 23/45.

just look at those innings pitched and complete game stats on the back of the card. crazy by today's standards, and they explain why morris is the way he is on twins (and tigers and used to be on blue jays) broadcasts - critical of the handling of today's pitchers.

i enjoyed following morris' career, just as i had paul molitor's. we sort of grew up together, as i began following baseball with a passion in 1978, which was morris' first full season and the year of his rookie card. the 1979 season is when i really first took notice beyond his baseball cards, as he went 9-2 after the all-star break. two years later, in 1981, he started the midsummer classic for the american league, and then, in 1984, he was in the world series.

i was rooting for steve garvey and the padres that year, but morris and the tigers had different ideas. morris started, won, and completed game 1, and then did the same in the pivotal game 4. the tigers won the championship the next day.  another game i recall watching morris pitch in was the next-to-last game of the 1987 season. the tigers and blue jays were tied atop the american league east, and i was again rooting against morris and the motor city kitties. and again, morris dashed my hopes as he pitched 9 innings and held toronto to 2 runs. of course, mike flanagan did the same for the blue jays, and the game went in to extra innings. flanagan actually pitched 11 innings that day, but the tigers got to the jays' bullpen in the 12th to win it.

of course, no post about jack morris is complete without mentioning game 7 of the 1991 world series. my college roommates and i were glued to the tv that night, hoping for a twins win (the braves were not yet a perennial postseason loser, but we did not want a national league west team other than the dodgers to win a title). morris had already beaten the braves in game 1, and then threw 10 shutout innings to set up gene larkin's walk-off, world series winning hit. i felt a little badly for old friend alejandro pena, but was thrilled for morris, kirby puckett, freed halo chili davis, and the rest of the twins.

i never saw morris pitch in person, but i have had the chance to say hello to him a couple of times here in the twin cities, and have been able to have short conversations with him each time. the last time, however, i simply said, "that was a helluva game". he smiled and said "thanks".

here's my hall of famer collection as its been documented so far:

babe ruth - 2003 topps tribute world series edition world series tribute relic 351/425

honus wagner - 2001 topps tribute relic

nap lajoie - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic

tris speaker - 2011 topps tribute dual relic green parallel 53/75

eddie collins - 2002 topps tribute milestone materials relic

george sisler - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic

mel ott - 2011 topps tribute quad relic 15/99

dizzy dean - 2001 topps tribute relic

hank greenberg - 2004 topps tribute hall of fame tribute relic

bob feller - 2001 topps archives certified autograph

jackie robinson - 2004 topps clubhouse collection clubhouse relic

ted williams - 1992 upper deck baseball heroes autograph 1067/2000

roy campanella - 2001 topps tribute relic

stan musial - 2002 topps team topps legends autograph

yogi berra - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1640/2000

sandy koufax - 1998 donruss signatures significant signatures 1707/2000

roberto clemente - 2005 donruss greats hall of fame souvenirs relic

warren spahn - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures

mickey mantle - 2000 upper deck legends legendary game jerseys relic

ernie banks - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures

willie mays - 1997 topps willie mays reprints certified autograph

al kaline - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph

duke snider - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 144/250

bob gibson - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph

hank aaron - 2004 topps originals 1979 topps all-time record holders rbi 03/32

frank robinson - 1995 upper deck autograph

don drysdale - 1993 nabisco all-star autographs

harmon killebrew - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures

pee wee reese - 2001 topps tribute relic

lou brock - 2018 topps archives signature series 1989 buyback 53/61

jim hunter - 1998 donruss signature series significant signatures 0736/2000

willie stargell - 2000 upper deck legends legendary signatures 

johnny bench - 2019 topps definitive collection legendary autograph 09/25

red schoendienst - 2012 panini cooperstown signatures 038/549

jim palmer - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph

rod carew - 2004 topps retired signature autograph

fergie jenkins - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 154/333

gaylord perry - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph

rollie fingers - 2018 topps archives signature series 1978 topps buyback 1/3

hal newhouser - 1993 front row premium all-time greats autograph

tom seaver - 2013 topps five star baseball autograph 44/50

reggie jackson - 2018 topps tier one tier one talent autograph 19/60

steve carlton - 2018 topps five star career year autograph 43/45

mike schmidt - 2002 topps archives autoproof 1980 topps buyback 048/147

phil niekro - 2017 panini donruss recollection collection 1983 donruss buyback autograph 13/33

don sutton - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph

robin yount - 2001 upper deck ultimate collection ultimate signatures 112/150

carlton fisk - 1999 upper deck century legends epic signatures

tony perez - 2004 fleer national pastime 2002 fleer greats authentic autograph buyback 30/59

dave winfield - 2003 upper deck sp authentic chirography hall of famers 121/350

ozzie smith - 2019 topps finest finest origins autograph

gary carter - 1999 fleer sports illustrated greats of the game autograph collection

eddie murray - 2004 upper deck sp legendary cuts legendary sigs 45/50 

dennis eckersley - 2017 topps archives signature series 1984 topps buyback 47/99

paul molitor - 2016 topps museum collection archival autographs 021/125

wade boggs - 2005 upper deck baseball heroes autograph red parallel 30/49

ryne sandberg - 2016 topps five star autographs gold parallel 17/50

bruce sutter - 2003 topps all-time fan favorites certified autograph

tony gwynn - 1997 donruss signature series millennium marks autograph 0702/1000

cal ripken jr - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 32/75

goose gossage - 2003 topps finest finest moments autograph

jim rice - 2005 upper deck past time pennants past time signatures

andre dawson - 2000 fleer greats of the game autograph

bert blyleven - 2004 upper deck legends timeless teams autograph

ron santo - 2004 topps retired signature autograph

greg maddux - 2018 topps luminaries masters of the mound autograph 13/15

pedro martinez - 2018 topps high tek portraitek autograph 09/60

ken griffey jr - 2003 upper deck game face autograph

mike piazza - 2014 topps five star autograph 35/50

tim raines - 2018 topps tribute tribute autograph green parallel 26/95

jack morris - 2004 donruss timelines recollection collection 1986 buyback autograph 23/45

alan trammell - 2001 fleer greats of the game autograph

roy halladay - 2017 topps archives signature series 2004 topps buyback 15/23

pete rose* - 2018 panini flawless legendary signatures 15/25

barry bonds* - 2001 bowman heritage autographs

roger clemens* - 1995 upper deck autograph

 

you can find the full list of hall of famers (and some not - yet) that i aim to include in this collection at my want list site.