Morris Steevens
Year of Induction: 1992 | Categories: Baseball, Individual, Track
Morris Steevens, a 1958 graduate, a fireballing left-hander excelled in four sports at Salem Community High School.
Steevens later pitched professionally for the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League.
Steevens started his high school pitching prowess with a four-hit shutout of Odin as a sophomore and also notched a four-hit victory over Centralia. During his junior year, he was the kingpin of the Wildcat pitching staff with five shutout victories, including a no-hit, 1-0 win over Flora. The Wildcats won their fourth straight North Egypt Conference championship that year and, with Steevens pitching a four-hitter, won the regional championship. During his senior year, Steevens combined with Jack Simmons and Billy Smith to pitch a 12-0, no-hit, win over Odin. Salem also won the district title that year, beating Centralia 4-2, with Steevens pitching a five hitter and contributing a two-run home run.
In track during his sophomore year, he set a record in the 220-yard dash at the Dupo Relays with a winning time of 23.4 seconds. Also, his sophomore year, in Frosh-Soph meets, he set records in the 100-yard dash, at 10.4 seconds, and the 220-yard dash, at 23.1 seconds. He was a member of the varsity 880-yard relay team and his senior year won the NEC championship in both the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash. Salem won the NEC track championship in both 1957 and 1958.
After graduation, Steevens signed a professional contract with the Chicago Cub organization and pitched with the Cubs through 1963. In 1964, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and was with the Phils through 1967.