Mort Cooper

Mort Cooper
Pitcher
Born: March 2, 1913(1913-03-02) Atherton, Missouri
Died: November 17, 1958(1958-11-17) (aged 45) Little Rock, Arkansas
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 14, 1938 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
May 7, 1949 for the Chicago Cubs
Career statistics
Win–loss record	128–75
Earned run average	2.97
Strikeouts	913
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (1938–1945) Boston Braves (1945–1947) New York Giants (1947) Chicago Cubs (1949)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star selection (1942, 1943, 1945, 1946) 2× World Series champion (1942, 1944) 1942 NL MVP

Morton Cecil Cooper (March 2, 1913–November 17, 1958) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals. As the team's top pitcher during its National League pennant years of 1942-44, he won over 20 games in each of the three years and received the 1942 Most Valuable Player award after posting a 22-7 record with 10 shutouts and a 1.78 earned run average, the lowest by any NL right-hander between 1920 and 1967. His brother Walker was an NL catcher and his teammate for several seasons.

Cooper was born in Atherton, Missouri, and after debuting with the Cardinals in 1938, had a 12-6 record as a 1939 rookie. He was 24-21 over the next two seasons before hitting his stride, helping the team to World Series titles in both 1942 and 1944. In 1945, both Cooper brothers staged contract holdouts, and Mort was traded that May to the Boston Braves after only three starts; bothered by longtime elbow problems, he ended the year only 9-4. After a 13-11 season in 1946, he began 1947 at 2-5 and was traded to the New York Giants in June. He was 1-5 for the Giants over the rest of the season, and was released in July 1948 after not pitching all year due to arm trouble. He ended his career with a single 1949 relief appearance for the Chicago Cubs in which he failed to record an out. He retired with a record of 128-75, a 2.97 ERA, 913 strikeouts, and 33 shutouts in 1840⅔ innings. He was selected to the NL All-Star team four times (1942, 1943, 1945, 1946).

Mort Cooper died of a lung condition at age 45 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference

Preceded by Dolph Camilli	National League Most Valuable Player 1942	Succeeded by Stan Musial
Preceded by Elmer Riddle	National League ERA Champion 1942	Succeeded by Max Lanier
Preceded by Kirby Higbe & Whit Wyatt	National League Wins Champion 1942–1943 (1943 with Elmer Riddle & Rip Sewell)	Succeeded by Bucky Walters