The Main Event

  • Keith Moreland (born 1954) – A catcher, first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder drafted by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 1975 Draft. He started his MLB career with the Phillies, but played six of his 12 seasons in the majors with the Chicago Cubs.
  • May 2, 1981 – Keith Moreland hits back-to-back home runs on his 27th birthday, helping the Phils to a 3-1 win over San Francisco.

College Star and Phillies Prospect

Keith Moreland arrived in professional baseball with a strong reputation already attached to his name. Before he ever played for the Phillies, he had become a legend at the University of Texas. Moreland was a three-time All-American third baseman and one of the best college hitters in the country during the mid-1970s. He helped lead Texas to multiple College World Series appearances and was a key figure on the Longhorns’ 1975 national championship team. At one point, he hit .410 over a full college season, which was remarkable even in the aluminum-bat era.

He was also a football player at Texas and briefly looked like he might have a future on the gridiron before focusing entirely on baseball. The Phillies selected him in the seventh round of the 1975 MLB Draft, and while he was not considered a can’t-miss superstar prospect, he was viewed as a polished, tough, versatile player with a high baseball IQ and an advanced bat. Scouts loved his competitiveness and believed he could hit in the majors.

The Phillies originally developed Moreland as a catcher, though he also spent time at third base and first base in the minors. That versatility would follow him throughout his career. He reached the majors late in 1978 and became part of a Phillies club loaded with veteran talent.

Time With the Phillies

Breaking into the Phillies lineup in that era was not easy. The team already featured stars like Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Greg Luzinski, and Bob Boone, so Moreland often found himself in a utility role. Even so, he contributed to one of the greatest stretches in franchise history.

Moreland played with Philadelphia from 1978 through 1981 and was a member of the club’s 1980 World Series championship team. He was never a full-time star with the Phillies, but he gained a reputation as a dependable hitter who could fill multiple roles. He hit .314 in 1980 and gave manager Dallas Green quality at-bats off the bench and in spot starts.

One of the biggest frustrations for Moreland in Philadelphia was simply finding consistent playing time. Boone was entrenched behind the plate, Schmidt owned third base, and the Phillies were trying to win immediately. Moreland had enough talent to start elsewhere, which eventually led to a trade.

After the 1981 season, the Phillies sent Moreland, Dickie Noles, and Dan Larson to the Cubs in exchange for pitcher Mike Krukow.

Chicago Success and Career Highlights

The trade to Chicago changed the trajectory of Moreland’s career. With the Cubs, he finally became an everyday player and developed into one of the more productive hitters in the National League during the 1980s.

Moreland fit perfectly with the hard-nosed identity of those Cubs teams. Nicknamed “Zonk,” he played with an aggressive style that fans loved. He could catch, play the corner outfield spots, and handle the infield when needed. More importantly, he hit.

His best season came in 1985 when he hit .307 with 14 home runs and 106 RBI. That RBI total ranked among the National League leaders, and it remains the season most associated with his career.

He was also a major contributor to the Cubs’ memorable 1984 division-winning team, the club that ended Chicago’s long postseason drought. Although Ryne Sandberg often gets the spotlight from that era, Moreland was an important middle-of-the-order bat and a respected clubhouse presence.

In 1987, he delivered another big offensive season with 27 home runs and 88 RBI, showing more power than many scouts initially expected earlier in his career.

Moreland later spent time with the Padres, Tigers, and Orioles before retiring after the 1989 season. Over 12 major league seasons, he hit .279 with 121 home runs and 674 RBIs.

In many ways, Keith Moreland represented the classic winning-ballplayer archetype of the late 1970s and 1980s. He was versatile, tough, productive, and reliable. He may not have become a national superstar, but he carved out a long career, won a World Series with the Phillies, helped revive baseball on the North Side of Chicago, and earned lasting respect everywhere he played.

Philadelphia Baseball Events for May 2

  • May 2, 1895 – The rebuilt grandstand at the Baker Bowl – replacing one that burnt down the previous August – opens to the public as the Phillies lose a 9-4 decision to New York. The History of Baker Bowl
  • May 2, 1943 – Pitcher Schoolboy Rowe hits a pinch-hit grand slam during a 6-5 win over Boston, the first Phillies pitcher to do so.
  • May 2, 1946 – Traded Danny Murtaugh to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash. Murtaugh interrupted his Phillies career to serve in the military and returned in 1946. He had played just six games that season when he was traded. Murtaugh was better known as the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates for 15 seasons, including leading them to two World Series championships.
  • May 2, 1957 – Robin Roberts fans 13 in a 4-2 win over the Cubs, tying a club record. Roberts also recorded the team’s only assist on a ninth inning ground out. The two teams set a league record with only six assists between them.
  • May 2, 1970 – Catcher Tim McCarver left the game in San Francisco after breaking his hand on a foul tip. Three batters later, his replacement, Mike Ryan, has to leave when he breaks his hand after being spiked on a play at the plate. Jim Hutto finished the game.
  • May 2, 1973 – Traded Deron Johnson to Oakland in exchange for Jack Bastable. Johnson played four-plus seasons with the Phillies as part of his 16-year career. He went to the World Series with Oakland in 1973. Bastable never played in the majors and retired as a minor leaguer following the 1978 season.
  • May 2, 1977 – Greg Luzinski hits his first home run in Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, giving him at least one in every National League park. The Phillies lose, though, 4-3.
  • May 2, 1989 – Mike Schmidt hits his 548th, and final, home run vs. Houston’s Jim Deshaies, but the Phillies lost 12-4.
  • May 2, 2018 – Dylan Cozens hit three home runs for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the first three home run game in IronPigs history. Cozens drove in half of the team’s runs in an 8-6 win.

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Philadelphia Baseball Birthdays for May 2

  • Oran O’Neal (born 1889) – Nicknamed “Skinny,” O’Neal pitched in 11 games for the Phillies in 1925 and two more in 1927, posting a combined 9.24 ERA. Those would be his only two MLB stints.
  • Ken Richardson (born 1915) – Played in six games with the 1942 Athletics and six more with the 1946 Phillies. The utility player had just those 12 games as a career and hit .114 (4-for-35).

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