Duane Josephson (1987) - Hall of Fame

Duane Josephson

Induction:
1987
Class:
1965

A native of New Hampton, Iowa, Duane "Josie" Josephson earned 10 letters in three sports at New Hampton High School - football, basketball and baseball. But it is baseball that he is best known for.

He attended the State College of Iowa from 1960-65 and is the first player in school history to be named All-American in baseball, as well as becoming the first to hit 10 home runs in a single season. His 10 round-trippers in 1964 led the nation. His career stats at UNI include a .365 batting average (.455 in conference play), 20 home runs and 75 RBIs in 57 games. He committed just one error in his entire UNI career. He led SCI to the NCAA baseball tournament and three conference championships.

If that wasn't enough, he also was known for his talents on the basketball court. He finished his career with 913 points and led SCI in scoring his junior and senior years. He was a two-time all-conference pick as a guard as well. Upon graduation in 1965, however, he decided to pursue a career in baseball. Although he was hampered by injuries, he played from 1970-72 for the Boston Red Sox, He was named all-star catcher for the Southern League in 1965 and for the Pacific Coast in 1966. He was named MVP for the Pacific Coast in 1966 and was an American League All-Star in 1968. His lifetime Major League batting average was .258 with 23 home runs and 164 RBIs. He appeared in 470 games.