Joe Decker

George Henry "Joe" Decker Jr. (June 16, 1947 - March 2, 2003) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher born in Storm Lake, Iowa. Drafted in the ninth round of the 1965 draft by the Chicago Cubs out of Petaluma High School in California, he pitched for the Cubs (1969-72), Minnesota Twins (1973-76), and Seattle Mariners (1979). He was traded to the Twins along with Bill Hands for Dave LaRoche in December 1972. His best season came in 1974, when he went 16-14 with a 3.29 ERA, 11 complete games in 37 starts, and 248.2 innings pitched. Over nine seasons he compiled a 36-44 record. He died at age 55 from head injuries following a fall at his home in Fraser, Michigan.