In his latest ESPN.com article, Joe Morgan writes: "When I was in college, I wrote my thesis on the Negro leagues." He also says he got an A.
Now. I'm not saying Joe Morgan never went to college. Even I, a guy who writes for a website called "FIRE JOE MORGAN," could not possibly believe that Joe Morgan would fabricate some sort of collegiate experience if he never enrolled in any sort of post-high school academic institution.
That said, here are some facts:
1.) Baseball Almanac plainly states that Joe Morgan did not attend any college. I don't put too much stock in this, as they don't list any nicknames for Joe Morgan neither. ("Little Joe" might be terrible, but it's still a nickname. Ditto "The Little General.")
2.) I've been searching online for about an hour now, and I can't find any evidence that Joe Morgan went to college. I could be missing something, or it just might not be out there. I'm this close to signing up for a trial membership to Encyclopedia Brittanica online, which seems to have a more complete Joe Morgan bio than any other site.
3.) Joe morgan was all of 20 years old (and like 2 days) when he played his first major league game, in September of 1963.
So, did 19-year-old Joe Morgan write and complete a thesis -- not just a paper, but a thesis -- just before playing in the big leagues, at some college that can't be found in any internet search?
Please help me solve this mystery.
**MYSTERY SOLVED. Check comments.**
MYSTERY SOLVED.
ReplyDeleteI think.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in. Turns out Joe attended about a year of JuCo before his playing days. Could've written something there.
BUT, here's the real answer, as quoted from several of our readers:
"He promised his mother when he left college to sign with the Colt 45s that he would earn his degree. Taking classes in the off-season and into his retirement, he graduated from Cal State-Hayward in 1990 at the age of 47."
CS-H is apparently now called "Cal State East Bay." So, there you go...I guess.
I don't know why it didn't occur to me that the dude could've gone back to college after he played. Kind of embarrassing.
What's more, I know now that JM has two children, which for some reason makes me feel kind of bad about the name of the site.
BUT! Come on. He's still terrible.