Carl Morton facts for kids

Carl Wendle Morton (born January 18, 1944 – died April 12, 1983) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played for eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). His teams were the Montreal Expos and the Atlanta Braves.

Carl Morton was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1970. Throughout his career, he won 87 games and lost 92. He also had 650 strikeouts. His ERA was 3.73.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Carl Morton was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He grew up in West Tulsa, Oklahoma. In high school, he played baseball for Webster High School. A future major league player, Rich Calmus, was also on his team.

After high school, Carl played outfielder for the University of Oklahoma. This was before he became a pitcher.

Playing in the Major Leagues

Carl Morton started his professional baseball journey as an outfielder. He was part of the Atlanta Braves organization. Later, he changed his position to a pitcher. The Montreal Expos picked him in the 1968 expansion draft. This draft allowed new teams to choose players from other teams.

First Game and Rookie Year Success

Carl Morton's first game in the major leagues was on April 11, 1969. This was only the fourth game ever for the Montreal Expos team. He pitched very well, allowing no runs in nine innings. However, the Expos lost the game 1–0 in extra innings.

In 1970, Carl had an amazing season. He won 18 games and lost 11 for the Expos. Even though his team finished in last place, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year. He beat out other talented players for this award. That year, he pitched 284.2 innings, which was a career high. He also had 154 strikeouts, another career best.

Time with the Expos

After his great rookie year, Carl's performance dipped a bit. In 1971, he won 10 games and lost 18. In 1972, his final year with the Expos, he won 7 games and lost 13. He often didn't get much help from his team's offense.

Carl Morton pitching for the Braves in 1975. He is watching Lou Brock of the Cardinals steal second base.

Joining the Atlanta Braves

On February 28, 1973, Carl Morton was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He was traded for another player named Pat Jarvis. This move helped Carl get back on track. In 1973, he won 15 games and lost 10. He pitched 256.1 innings and had 112 strikeouts.

The next year, 1974, was even better for Carl. He won 16 games and lost 12. He pitched a career high 274.2 innings. He also had 113 strikeouts, which was his best. The Braves team finished with a winning record that year. This was the only time Carl played for a winning team in his career.

In 1975, Carl won 17 games and lost 16. He pitched 277.2 innings, another career high. He allowed 302 hits, which was also a career high.

Final Season and Retirement

The 1976 season was Carl Morton's last in the major leagues. He won 4 games and lost 9. His final game was on August 21 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched well and even had a great day at the plate. He got three hits and three RBIs, helping his team win 6–2.

After 1976, Carl was traded to the Texas Rangers. However, he was released before playing a game for them. He later signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates but did not play in any major league games for them. He finished his career playing in the minor leagues until 1978.

As a hitter, Carl Morton had a batting average of .156. He hit seven home runs and had 42 RBIs. He was also a good fielder, with a .975 fielding percentage. This was much better than the average for pitchers.

Later Life

Carl Morton passed away on April 12, 1983, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was survived by his wife, Karen, and his children.