Hall of Fame
At age 15, Vernon Morgan was signed by the New York Giants Baseball Team. His contract was voided because of a technicality, so the young man from Emporia came to FUMA.
He became a standout in football, basketball and baseball. As captain of the football team, he received FUMA's Outstanding Athlete Award and was named to the All-Star Military Football Team. Morgan went from Fork Union to the University of Richmond where he planned to play the same three sports.
Morgan started on the football field was delayed because his eligibility was questioned due to the pro contract that he had signed at age 15. Morgan was the first athlete to take a college athletic conference into court. It was November 1947 before the case was resolved in his favor and he made his debut as a halfback for the Spiders.
Morgan's plans to play basketball at Richmond were thwarted due to an emergency appendectomy in December. He had also been expected to become Coach Mac Pitt's shortstop but he signed a pro contract and left before ever playing for Coach Pitt.
A third baseman who saw big league service with the Chicago Cubs in 1954-55, he joined the Twins Organization as a player with the Chattanooga affiliate in 1956, served his first of 8 seasons as a manager in 1961 and was elevated to the Minnesota Twins as a coach in 1969 where he remained until his death in November 1975. Morgan holds the longevity record for Twins Coaching.
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