CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 23: A detail view of the Philadelphia Phillies logo on a batting helmet during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 23, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies have a storied tradition of signing players who would later return to the dugout as accomplished managers.
Dallas Green pitched for the Phillies before guiding them to the 1980 World Series championship, while Larry Bowa came back to Philadelphia as skipper after his playing days and was named National League Manager of the Year in 2001.
Pat Corrales also suited up for the Phillies before eventually taking over the club’s managerial reins, and Ryne Sandberg appeared in just 18 games for Philadelphia in 1981 before returning decades later to manage the team from 2013 to 2015.
While many of these former Phill—— players who became coaches and managers are more celebrated for their bench roles than their time on the field, the franchise’s fans have always honored the memory of any former player who donned the uniform.
And last week, those fans had cause to honor one more former Phillie — an infielder who went on to make a lasting mark as one of the American League’s most beloved managers.
Joe Morgan, a lifelong baseball figure who fulfilled his dream of managing his hometown Boston Red Sox and made history in the process, passed away Saturday at the age of 95, Ian Browne reported for MLB.com.
As tributes and memories flooded in from across Red Sox nation, many Phillies fans may not have known that Morgan appeared in Philadelphia during the 1960 season.
“After playing both baseball and hockey at Boston College, Morgan appeared in 88 games over four Major League seasons spanning 1959 to 1964, suiting up for the Milwaukee Braves, Kansas City Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals,” Browne added. “He finished his playing career with a .193 batting average, two home runs, and 10 RBIs.”
His time on the diamond ultimately set the stage for a far more prominent second act in the dugout. Morgan began his managerial career in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league system before joining the Red Sox organization, where he managed Pawtucket from 1974 to 1982 and helped cultivate future stars including Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, and Bruce Hurst.
Morgan’s most celebrated chapter came in 1988, when he stepped in as Boston’s interim manager following the All-Star break. He immediately turned the franchise’s fortunes around, winning his first 12 games and 19 of his initial 20 decisions.
The stunning stretch became known as “Morgan’s Magic,” and the Red Sox went on to finish 89–73, capturing the American League East division title.
Morgan remained at the helm in Boston through the 1991 season, adding another division championship in 1990. He retired with a managerial record of 301–262 and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006.
For Phillies fans, Morgan’s passing serves as yet another reminder of the club’s unique history of players who went on to become influential figures in baseball’s dugouts. His tenure in Philadelphia was brief, but his legacy in the game extended well beyond his 88-game playing career.
