Jo-Jo Morrissey
Encyclopedia
Joseph Anselm Morrissey (January 16, 1904 - May 2, 1950), nicknamed Jo-Jo, was a Major League Baseball
infielder
who played three seasons for the Cincinnati Reds
and the Chicago White Sox
from 1932 to 1936.
in Massachusetts
. He began his professional career in 1926 with the Hartford Senators
of the Eastern League, where he played in 44 games and had a batting average
of .272 and three home run
s. He split the 1927 season with the Scottdale
Scotties of the Middle Atlantic League
and Hartford. He hit .408 with the Scotties in 26 games while hitting .261 with Hartford.
Morrissey missed two years of baseball before reappearing with the Evansville, Indiana
team in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
. With Evansville, his batting average was .321, and his teammates included future major leaguers Tommy Bridges
, Pete Fox
, Gee Walker
, and Jo-Jo White
, all of whom later played for the Detroit Tigers
. Morrissey played for the St. Paul Saints
of American Association
in 1931. He played in 167 games, collecting 223 hits
and setting a career-high in home runs with 22.
prior to the 1932 season. He broke a finger during spring training in 1933. The Reading Eagle
reported that Morrisey "developed amazingly". He was a starter during the 1933 season, playing in 148 games and batting .230. Also a poor fielder, he was fifth in the league with 40 errors
committed. He was released after the 1933 season and played in 17 games with the White Sox as a backup in 1936. During a May 27 game against the Tigers, while replacing Jimmy Dykes
at third base, he made an error that cost the game for the White Sox, when he allowed three runs to score. Morrissey died at the age of 46 at Worcester, Massachusetts
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who played three seasons for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
from 1932 to 1936.
Minor league career
Morrissey was a graduate of College of the Holy CrossCollege of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He began his professional career in 1926 with the Hartford Senators
Hartford Senators
The Hartford Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They operated in the Connecticut League from 1902-1912, the Eastern Association from 1913-1914, the Eastern League from 1916-1932 and the Northeastern League in 1934. For the 1932 season they were affiliated...
of the Eastern League, where he played in 44 games and had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .272 and three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. He split the 1927 season with the Scottdale
Scottdale, Pennsylvania
Scottdale is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Scottdale is the home of the Southmoreland Scotties. Early in the 20th century, Scottdale was the center of the Frick coke interests...
Scotties of the Middle Atlantic League
Middle Atlantic League
The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.-History:...
and Hartford. He hit .408 with the Scotties in 26 games while hitting .261 with Hartford.
Morrissey missed two years of baseball before reappearing with the Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
team in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
. With Evansville, his batting average was .321, and his teammates included future major leaguers Tommy Bridges
Tommy Bridges
Thomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
, Pete Fox
Pete Fox
Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
, Gee Walker
Gee Walker
Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...
, and Jo-Jo White
Jo-Jo White
Joyner Clifford "Jo-Jo" White was an American center fielder in professional baseball. He played nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Athletics , and Cincinnati Reds...
, all of whom later played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Morrissey played for the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in 1931. He played in 167 games, collecting 223 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and setting a career-high in home runs with 22.
Major league career
Morrissey was sold to the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
prior to the 1932 season. He broke a finger during spring training in 1933. The Reading Eagle
Reading Eagle
The Reading Eagle is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania, in the United States. This family-owned newspaper has a daily circulation of 64,000 and a Sunday circulation of 100,000...
reported that Morrisey "developed amazingly". He was a starter during the 1933 season, playing in 148 games and batting .230. Also a poor fielder, he was fifth in the league with 40 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
committed. He was released after the 1933 season and played in 17 games with the White Sox as a backup in 1936. During a May 27 game against the Tigers, while replacing Jimmy Dykes
Jimmy Dykes
James Joseph Dykes was an American third and second baseman, manager and coach in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox from 1918 to 1939...
at third base, he made an error that cost the game for the White Sox, when he allowed three runs to score. Morrissey died at the age of 46 at Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
.