Ed Morris (1880s pitcher)
Edward Morris, nicknamed Cannonball, was a 19th-century Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Columbus Buckeyes, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and Pittsburgh Burghers. He has been described as the first great lefthanded pitcher in major league baseball.Biography
A native of Brooklyn, New York, the left-hander stood and weighed 165 lbs. On May 29, 1884 he pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, winning 5–0. He was purchased by the Alleghenys from the Buckeyes five months later.
Morris finished in his league's top ten several times for many pitching categories, including wins, earned run average, strikeouts, and shutouts. In 1886, he led the American Association with 41 wins and 12 shutouts.
Career totals for 317 games played include a 171–122 record, 307 games started, 297 complete games, 29 shutouts, 4 games finished, and 1 save. His lifetime ERA was 2.82. At the plate he was 179-for-1,113 with 1 home run, 63 runs batted in, and 100 runs scored. Author David Nemec described Morris as "the first truly outstanding southpaw pitcher in major league history."
Morris died in Pittsburgh at the age of 74.
