Joe Morgan Attended Umpire School?

[pingswinger]

Last night during the Braves & Padres game, the San Diego Chicken visited Morgan and Miller in the booth and Miller commented that Morgan attended Umpire School when he was young. Morgan replied that he didn't know if he was going to be any good playing baseball so he went to umpire school. Surely not. Anyone else hear this?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by pingswinger

Last night during the Braves & Padres game, the San Diego Chicken visited Morgan and Miller in the booth and Miller commented that Morgan attended Umpire School when he was young. Morgan replied that he didn't know if he was going to be any good playing baseball so he went to umpire school. Surely not. Anyone else hear this?

I heard it.

They didn't say what school.

Seeing he's 63 now and probably did it before he broke in that would mean he went over 40 years ago.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I have heard it said before that Morgan helped pay his way through college by umpiring some baseball. He must have just forgotten every rule he ever learned.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I have heard it said before that Morgan helped pay his way through college by umpiring some baseball. He must have just forgotten every rule he ever learned.

Assuming, of course, that he ever knew them to begin with.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I have heard it said before that Morgan helped pay his way through college by umpiring some baseball. He must have just forgotten every rule he ever learned.

Baseball Almanac lists "None Attended" for a college so either they or your rumor is incorrect.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Baseball Almanac lists "None Attended" for a college so either they or your rumor is incorrect.

None attended ? Who knows ?

"After his senior year of high school, Morgan attended a junior college and thought about pursuing a career in business. When he had an outstanding year with his college team, some talk developed about him playing professional ball. Nothing serious happened until a scout from the Houston Colt 45s--later to become the Astros--saw something in Morgan despite his small size. In 1963 the scout offered Morgan a contract to play minor league ball at $500 a month, and he was given a $3,000 signing bonus--not good money even in the 1960s. His father, who had played semi-pro ball, was happy for his son; his mother was concerned that Joe was leaving college and would never be able to get his degree." - http://www.answers.com/topic/joe-morgan

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Baseball Almanac lists "None Attended" for a college so either they or your rumor is incorrect.

My money is on the rumor

I guess if you don't graduate from a four-year institution, "None Attended" is the default entry.

[Paul L]

I believe Joe finished his college degree (Cal State Hayward? communications?) and picked it up with his mother in attendance a few years ago.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by pingswinger

Last night during the Braves & Padres game, the San Diego Chicken visited Morgan and Miller in the booth and Miller commented that Morgan attended Umpire School when he was young. Morgan replied that he didn't know if he was going to be any good playing baseball so he went to umpire school. Surely not. Anyone else hear this?

BS Alert! BS Alert! BS Alert!

[Delaware Blue]

Originally Posted by pingswinger

...Miller commented that Morgan attended Umpire School...

Attending medical school doesn't make you a doctor either... If Morgan actually attended an umpire school, he's forgotten anything (and everything) he learned.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Delaware Blue

Attending medical school doesn't make you a doctor either... If Morgan actually attended an umpire school, he's forgotten anything (and everything) he learned.

Maybe the umpire schools and the instructing umpires used different educational techniques. Maybe the man's umpire school took place on a Sunday afternoon during the school year for the next week's intramural games. Maybe, maybe, ...maybe.

[GarthB]

If Joe Morgan began his baseball career in 1963, he could not have attended a pro school as we know them.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Miller kind of put ol' Joe on the spot by announcing to the Chicken that Morgan went to umpire school. He reportedly did a little umpiring, but I doubt seriously that he ever went to a formal school for umpires. I think Morgan did not want to interrupt the flow of the bit with the Chicken by correcting Miller on the air.

There is no way Morgan ever went to umpire school, as he simply has no clue, and nobody is that stupid as to have forgotten so much about the rules and umpiring in general.

[mbyron]

He might have visited Brinkman's for a day in the mid-80's.