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| Warren Morris | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1974-01-11)January 11, 1974 (age 51) Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| April 5, 1999, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| September 28, 2003, for the Detroit Tigers | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .267 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 26 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 164 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Warren Randall Morris (born January 11, 1974) is an American formercollege andMajor League Baseball player. He is most remembered for his two-out, 9th inningwalk-off home run that won the1996 College World Series for theLouisiana State UniversityTigers.
Morris grew up inAlexandria, Louisiana and graduated fromBolton High School. He played baseball, basketball and cross country at Bolton High.[1]
Morris joined the LSUbaseball team in1993.[1] He did not receive an athleticscholarship to play baseball, but made the team while on academic scholarship as asecond baseman. He did not play at second base in his first season at LSU, because the Tigers already had All-AmericanTodd Walker at the position. Morris did see action at other positions. Walker went pro after the1994 season, and Morris became the team's starting second baseman from1995 to1996. His best season at LSU came in 1995. Hehit .369 with 8home runs, 50RBI, and 18stolen bases.
LSU was expecting big things from Morris in 1996, but a broken hamate bone kept him out of the lineup for 42 games that season.[2] He did rejoin the team in time for the 1996 postseason, which would include theCollege World Series. However, the wrist injury still lingered. He could not hit for power, and was placed at the bottom of the lineup.
LSU reached the championship game of the College World Series in 1996, and was trailingMiami 8–7 in the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Morris came up to the plate with one runner on base, and hit Miamirelief pitcherRobbie Morrison's first pitch just inches over theright field fence. The walk-off home run won the game for the Tigers 9–8. It was his only home run of the season, and is the only walk-off championship-winning home run in College World Series history. In addition, it is the only 2-out, ninth inning, walk-off home run in a championship of any collegiate or professional level.[3] The home run also won Morris the 1997Showstopper of the Year ESPY Award.
Morris was drafted in the fifth round of the1996 Major League Baseball Draft by theTexas Rangers as a second baseman. He started out in the Rangers' farm system, but was later traded to thePittsburgh Pirates along withrelief pitcherTodd Van Poppel forstarting pitcherEsteban Loaiza. He made his major league debut in1999, going from non-roster invitee inspring training to starting second baseman early in the season. Morris had a promising rookie season with the Pirates, hitting .288 with 15 home runs and 73 RBI, while placing third inNational League Rookie of the Year voting. He also made the1999 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster at second base. It was his best season as a pro. However, the Pirates released him before the2002 season. Morris was the starting second baseman for the2003Detroit Tigers, following the release ofDamion Easley. For the rest of his career, he was a journeymaninfielder in the minor leagues. He announced his retirement from baseball in2006.
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