Country Morris

Country Morris
Morris in 1920
Biographical details
Born1890 or 1891
Rockingham County, Virginia, U.S.
DiedJuly 10, 1976 (aged 85)
Glen Falls, New York, U.S.
Alma materMaryland[1]
Playing career
1911Worcester Busters[2]
1915–18Martinsburg Champs/Blue Sox/Mountaineers
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Baseball
1915–18Martinsburg Champs/Blue Sox/Mountaineers
1917, 1920Clemson
1920–23, 1926Waynesboro Red Birds/Villagers
Basketball
1916–17, 1919–20Clemson
Football
1916–17, 1919Clemson (assistant)
1923–1957The Albany Academy
Head coaching record
Overall17–28 (college baseball)
16–8 (basketball)

William Gordon "Country" Morris was an American baseball player and baseball, basketball, and football coach. Morris was born in 1890 or 1891 in Rockingham County, Virginia. He lettered in four sports, including football (where he was captain of the 1913 team) and baseball, at Maryland Agricultural College.[3] Morris played minor league baseball for the Worcester Busters of the New England League in 1911 and for the Martinsburg Champs/Blue Sox/Mountaineers of the Blue Ridge League as a player/coach from 1915 to 1918.[1][2][4]

In 1916, he as hired as an assistant football coach at Clemson College, and he was also head basketball and baseball coach. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1917, returning to Clemson in 1919 to coach one more season.[5][6]

From 1920 to 1923, and in 1926, Morris returned to the Blue Ridge League to coach the Waynesboro Red Birds/Villagers. From 1923 until 1957, he coached football at The Albany Academy, where his son and Andy Rooney attended.[7][8] Morris died on July 10, 1976, in Glen Falls, New York.[3]

Head coaching record

Baseball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Postseason
1917 Clemson 13–13
1920 Clemson 4–15
Total: 17–28 (.378)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Basketball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Postseason
1916–17 Clemson 8–2
1919–20 Clemson 8–6
Total: 16–8 (.667)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Country Morris.
  1. ^ a b Keenan, Jimmy. "August 26, 1922: Waynesboro wins despite unruly Martinsburg fans". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Reggie Rawlings, "Legend of the Blue Ridge"" (PDF). Diamonds in the Dusk. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "WILLIAM G. MORRIS, SPORTS DIRECTOR, 85". The New York Times. July 11, 1976. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  4. ^ "William Morris". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Bourret, Tim; Sikes, Philip. "2012–13 Clemson Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Clemson University. p. 141. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  6. ^ Henessey, Brian. 2017 Baseball Media Guide (PDF). Clemson Tigers. p. 157. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  7. ^ "W. Gordon Morris Jr., 85, formerly of Albany". North Country Now. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  8. ^ Rooney, Andy (2008). My War. PublicAffairs. ISBN 9781586486822. Retrieved August 17, 2023.