HOUSTON, TX - Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, one of the first stars of the Houston Colt .45s and Astros, has passed away. He was 77 years old.

The Houston Astros released the following statement:

“This is a huge loss for our game. Joe Morgan was a true superstar in every sense of the word. In the early part of his career, he was one of our first stars, a cornerstone for the Houston Colt .45s and Astros, and a significant reason for the success of the franchise. His contributions will never be forgotten. We send our heartfelt condolences to Joe’s family, friends and countless fans and admirers.”

Morgan played 10 of his 22 Major League seasons with Houston (1963-71, 1980). After playing parts of two seasons (1963-64) for the Colt .45s, Morgan took over as the starting second baseman for the newly-named Houston Astros in 1965, a position he would hold through the 1971 season. In that span, he established himself as one of the top all-around second basemen in the National League. 1966, he became the first player in franchise history to be voted as an All-Star starter. After being traded to the Reds prior to the 1972 season, Morgan went on to win two MVP Awards and two World Series Championships (1975-76). In 1980, he would return to the Astros where he helped lead them to the first division championship and playoff berth in franchise history.

In 2019, Morgan was part of the inaugural class of the new Astros Hall of Fame and attended the ceremony at Minute Maid Park in August of that season. He was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame in 1987 and to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.