Sparrow Morton

William P. Morton
(Sparrow)
born William P. Moore

• Bats Unknown, Throws Left

• Debut July 15, 1884
• Final Game July 26, 1884
• Born August 7, 1858 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died July 18, 1917 in Norristown, PA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Sparrow Morton pitched a couple of games for the Philadelphia Quakers in 1884. He later pitched in the Eastern League.

The July/August 1999 issue of SABR's Biographical Research Committee Report raised some question as to whether Morton's real name was Morton More and whether he had previously played for Fairmount Park or Chambersburg. Various sources seemed to confirm that his name at birth was Moore, not Morton. More research conducted in 2014 led to the identification of a William P. Moore who was living in Philadelphia, PA and was of the right age. A postal carrier by trade, he was the son of R.A.P. Moore, a carpenter, and Maria Luisa Moore. Sparrow's brother Daniel married the sister of George Ulrich, another local ballplayer, and Daniel and Ulrich were sharing an address when the 1900 Census was compiled. But there was no trace of William at that time, and it turned out that he had spent the last 15 years of his life in an insane asylum, where he died in 1917. He may already have been institutionalized in 1900.

Further Reading

• "Sparrow Morton", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, May/June 2014, pp. 16-18.