Longtime Astros broadcaster Bill Brown joined our October meeting on Saturday, sharing his insights about Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, the 2020 season and playoffs and his broadcasting career.
Brownie has long been a good friend to the Hornsby Chapter, presenting at our winter meetings in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
Remembering the late Joe Morgan, who died on Oct. 11, Brownie also noted that he and his wife, Dianne, moved to Cincinnati just as Joe Morgan joined the Reds in 1972.
“He was an immediate hit,” Brownie recalled with a chuckle. “But I wasn’t,” he added wryly.
But for the Big Red Machine, Brownie said there was no doubt about Morgan’s importance.
“He was the biggest ingredient,” he said.
Brownie joined the Cincinnati Reds Television Network in 1976. In 1987, he joined the Astros broadcast team, where he did play-by-play until he retired in 2016. Since then, he’s been a community outreach executive with the team.
As the master of ceremonies for the inaugural class of the Astros Hall of Fame, unveiled in 2019, Brownie recalled a widely circulated photo from that day featuring Hall of Famers Morgan and Craig Biggio with José Altuve. He didn’t know then how special that photo would be now as we remember Morgan’s career.
In remembering Morgan, Alyson Footer, an MLB reporter, shared photos from that ceremony on social media.
Brownie said he was greatly influenced by Jack Buck, a broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals who shared the booth then with Harry Caray.
“All of my buddies liked Harry Caray,” he said, “but I liked Jack Buck.”
Brownie also credited Jon Miller on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts to help him loosen up and partner well in the Astros broadcast booth with Jim Deshaies, now with the Cubs television broadcast.
He’s also written another book, “Sportscasting 101: The road to play-by-play,” which he said was written as a way to share insights about sports broadcasting with young people interested in the career. He interviewed a wide range of broadcasters for the book just as the pandemic hit and sports were shut down for a time. More information about the book can be found at this link: www.sportscasting101.com
He also discussed how grateful he was to have baseball this year during the pandemic. “It’s better than nothing,” he said.
He also talked about minor league contraction, the Astros playoff run in the 2020 season in the aftermath of the sign-stealing scandal, and the new rules instituted this season.
We also had a terrific trivia quiz, “First and Last,” by Dan Walsh, who obtained the honor of quiz maker because he won last month’s quiz. Cy Morong dominated the field with 26 total points. Jerry Miller was second with 23. The rest of us were in the teens and lower. Try your hand at Dan’s quiz at the end of this summary (answers follow the questions).
As this is being written, the Braves and Dodgers are engaged in NLCS Game 6. The Dodgers are trying to win to force Game 7 on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Astros and Rays are playing ALCS Game 7 tonight.
I asked the group to predict winners.
What will happen? We’ll see!
This was the 167th consecutive month in which the chapter has held a meeting and the eighth consecutive month in which the meeting was held via video conferencing.
The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, on Zoom. Hope you can join us.
FIRST and LAST
SABR QUIZ by Dan Walsh
All questions relate only to events in the “modern era” (1900 – present). No 19th century baseball.
- Name the first player to hit four home runs in a game; and name the last player to hit four HR in a game.
- Name the first relief pitcher to win a Cy Young award; and name the last relief pitcher to win a CY award.
- Name the last left-handed pitcher to win at least 25 games in a season; and name the last right-handed pitcher to win 25 games in a season.
- Name the last player to steal at least 100 bases in a season.
- Name the first pitcher to throw a perfect game; name the last pitcher to throw a perfect game.
- Name the first AL player to hit .400 in a season
- Name the last NL player to hit .400 in a season
- Name first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both leagues; and name last pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both leagues.
- Name the first NL player to hit 50 or more HR in a season
- Name the last pitcher with 300 or more innings pitched in a season.
- Name the last pitcher to start at least 40 games in one season.
- Name the first player with a 40/40 season – 40 HR/40 SB; and name the last player with a 40/40 season
- Name the first third baseman to win a Gold Glove
- Name the first pitcher with three saves in a World Series; and name the last pitcher to get three saves in a World Series
- After Jackie Robinson, name the first NL player to be named Rookie of the Year; and name the first AL Rookie of the year.
- Name first manager elected to the Hall of Fame.
- Name the first catcher elected to the Hall of Fame; name the last catcher elected to the Hall of Fame.
- Name the first shortstop to have 100 RBI in a season;and name the last shortstop to have 100 RBI in a season.
- Name the first catcher to have 100 RBI in a season; and name the last catcher to have 100 RBI in a season.
- Name the first second baseman to hit 40 HR in a season; name the last second baseman to hit 40 HR in a season.
- Name the first NL player to win a Gold Glove in seven consecutive seasons; and name the first AL player to win a Gold Glove in seven consecutive seasons.
- Name the first player to hit a home run in the Astrodome; name the last player to homer in the Astrodome.
- For the following players, name the first team they played for and the last team they played for:
Player First Team Last Team
Roger Maris
Randy Johnson
Goose Gossage
Jim Edmonds
Moises Alou
Sparky Lyle
Kenny Lofton
FIRST and LAST QUIZ ANSWERS
- LOU GEHRIG (1932) and D. MARTINEZ (2017)
- MIKE MARSHALL (1972) and GREG GAGNE (2004)
- RON GUIDRY (1978, 25); and BOB WELCH (1990, 27)
- VINCE COLEMAN (1987)
- CY YOUNG (1904); and FELIX HERNANDEZ (2012)
- NAP LAJOIE (1901 -.426)
- BILL TERRY (1930 – .401)
- JIM BUNNING (1958-Det, 1964-PHI); RANDY JOHNSON (1990-SEA, 2004-ARI)
- HACK WILSON (1930 – 56)
- STEVE CARLTON (1980)
- CHARLIE HOUGH (1987)
- JOSE CANSECO (1988 – 42/40) and ALFONSO SORIANO (2006 – 46/41)
- FRANK MALZONE (1957)
- ROY FACE (1960); and SERGIO ROMO (2012)
- AL DARK (1948), ROY SIEVERS (1949)
- CONNIE MACK and JOHN McGRAW (1937)
- BUCK EWING (1939), TED SIMMONS (2020)
- HONUS WAGNER (1903) ;XANDER BOGAERTS (2019)
- GABBY HATNETT (1930); BUSTER POSEY (2012)
- ROGERS HORNSBY (1922); BRIAN DOZIER (2016)
- WILLIE MAYS (1957-68); VIC POWER (1958-1964)
- MICKEY MANTLE (1965); KEN CAMINITI (1999)
- Player First Team Last Team
Roger Maris Indians Cardinals
Randy Johnson Expos Giants
Goose Gossage White Sox Mariners
Jim Edmonds Angels Reds
Moises Alou Pirates Mets
Sparky Lyle Red Sox White Sox
Kenny Lofton Astros Indians
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