Matt Morris (baseball)
A fierce competitor on the mound who anchored the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation with a devastating sinker and All-Star consistency.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American baseball player·Birthday: August 9·Generation X
Biography
For nearly a decade, Matt Morris was the stoic, reliable ace of the St. Louis Cardinals. Drafted in the first round in 1995, he announced his arrival in 1997 by finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. His career, however, was defined by resilience. After missing the entire 1999 season to Tommy John surgery, Morris fought back to have his finest year in 2001, leading the National League with 22 wins and finishing third in the Cy Young Award race. He was a pitcher's pitcher, relying on command, a heavy sinker, and a sharp curveball rather than pure velocity. Morris was a central figure for Cardinals teams that were perennial contenders, making two All-Star teams and starting Game 1 of the 2004 World Series. Arm troubles eventually diminished his effectiveness, but his tenure in St. Louis left an indelible mark as one of the franchise's most dependable starters of his era.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matt was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the National League with 22 wins during the 2001 season.
- Was a two-time National League All-Star (2001, 2005).
- Finished third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award in 2001.
- Started Game 1 of the 2004 World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Did You Know?
He pitched a one-hit complete game shutout against the Houston Astros on May 12, 2002.
Morris was the winning pitcher for the National League in the 2001 All-Star Game.
He hit two home runs in his major league career, both in the 2002 season.
“You have to execute your pitches and trust your defense; the rest is out of your hands.”
